The Dame of Vesta
by Rachbal
Summary: Prince Kai's kingdom is under siege by the ruthless queen of the moon. His only ally, the cunning, cryptic Grand Doge of the Belt Confederacy of Independent Asteroid States, claims to have a solution, but seems to cause only more problems. His only pleasant distraction is a mysterious girl, Cinder.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer!**

This is a rewrite of the story Cinder with a mix of the Count of Monte Cristo in it. I have use selections of the original story of Cinder as part of this version, some have been modified, but I do not claim ownership, merely a tribute. I did it as an exploratory writing exercise for new character in the universe of the Lunar Chronicles. This story is what would have happened if something different happened in the life of my character. Enjoy or despise, it is your choice.

**The Dame of Vesta**

**Chapter 1: Fixing Hope**

Kai's life had been one worry after another recently. Queen Levana of Luna had sent her head thaumaturge, Sybil Mira, on a 'diplomatic mission' to the Eastern Commonwealth that had been nothing more than an opportunity to throw thinly veiled threats at Kai face to face.

Kai was largely naive to the ways of international relations, but even he could see that the thaumaturge's presence was merely one more reminder of the political and military superiority of the Moon. What better way to flaunt your power than to send a messenger to the court of your enemy and insult him without fear of reprisal. How Kai hated it!

Then the problems got worse, his father Emperor Rikan had contracted the dreaded letumosis disease. Letumosis was a plague that was close to ravaging the Earth. As of yet it was incurable, the longest anyone had lived was two weeks. His mother had died from it and now his father had it! Kai feared being left alone, with a kingdom to run and no kindly, wise father to counsel him.

Technically, with his father ill, he was in charge. Though his father had left him with a trusted advisor, Konn Torin, but it was still Kai's responsibility to deal with the Lunar Queen.

That led to his last problem, he had an idea how to handle the queen. Everyone knew the queen had killed her sister to seize the throne, but the deceased queen had a daughter. Princess Selene was rumored to have survived the attempt on her life and escaped to Earth. If she had survived, she would be the only one able to overpower Queen Levana.

The problem had been finding her, but Kai had put that task to his old tutor android, Nainsi. She was making progress until she broke down. He had immediately taken her to the royal mechanics, but they had tried everything to fix her without success.

What was he going to do now? Nainsi had information that could be vital to the survival of Earth and he couldn't get it. Being a royal android, Nainsi had several security measures that prevented her memory from being removed while shut off. The only way to retrieve the information was to get her fixed.

The royal mechanics had given him a list of other mechanics in the city that might be able to help, but they were doubtful. Kai would have to meet them in private, trusting no one with such an important task, but there was so little time.

Even if someone could fix Nainsi and she had the information he hoped she had, there was no tell how hard it could be to find Princess Selene and convince her to help them. That was of course assuming she was in any condition to help, all they had found in her fire wrecked nursery was a charred hand and leg. She could be a vegetable for he knew, but he still hoped.

Enough thinking, he had to get Nainsi to the first, and most promising, mechanic. It was hard ditching his bodyguards, but worth it. He wouldn't attract much attention as a lone guy carrying a broken android, lucky for him Nainsi wasn't a very flashy model.

When he arrived at Mr. Yan's shop, he was ready to lose the hoody although it help conceal his identity, it didn't help the heat. He recognized Mr. Yan from his public file record, he was the stereotypical mechanic, older, balding, with grease all over his jumpsuit, in a large shop that looked like it doubled as his warehouse.

Business looked good, as several repair projects weren't being handled by outnumbered employees. Mr. Yan was himself working on a robotic arm, replacing fingers by the looks of it. A bell ringed at the door to announce Kai's arrival. Mr. Yan looked up at Kai's with a flash of annoyance at being disturbed from his concentration, but was quickly replaced by a friendly smile.

"Welcome sir, to Yan's Android Works!" The gruff voice still managed to sound cheerful. "How may I be of service?" Kai hesitated to approach, knowing he might be recognized, but this had to be done.

"I have an android that I need fixed right away," Kai did his best to sound casual. "I was told you are the best in the business outside of the royal mechanics."

"That I am sir, bring it over here and I'll have a look at it." He gestured to the counter in front of him. Kai hauled Nainsi over to the counter, relieved to have her dead weight out of his arms. Mr. Yan paid little attention to Kai, instead focusing on Nainsi. "Now what seems to be the problem?"

"She just stopped working one day and I can't turn her on. My usual mechanics did everything they could think of, nothing. They said to try you." Kai responded. The mechanic, opened the access port on Nainsi's neck and plugged in a readout machine. The screen stayed blank.

"Well that is odd. Have you thought about getting a new one, this model is pretty old, it may just have been its time." Yan unplugged the readout and opened Nainsi's rear hatch. "Odd indeed, you get it regular maintenance? It is in remarkable condition, nearly new."

"Yeah, I can't figure it." Kai replied. "So can you fix her, I kind of need her right away."

"Oh I don't know, I might have to take it apart if that is what it takes." Yan sighed in exhaustion in spite of himself and looked at Kai. "Are you sure you don't want a new one, it might be... Wait, do I know you from somewhere?" Kai felt a pang of panic, he would prefer not to be identified, even to a handful of mechanics. He decided confess to keep his profile low.

"Yeah, you probably have, keep your voice low, please. I like to be discreet if possible." The old mechanic squinted for a moment before his eye went wide in recognition. He almost stood up, but remembered the prince's request. In a lowered voice he asked Kai why he was here alone. "It's kind of a personal matter, Nainsi has been with me since I was young. Sentimental I guess." The old mechanic smiled.

"No need to explain yourself, you'd be surprised how many people attach themselves to machines. Me, I got an old toaster I call Bernie, been in the family forever, and I do all the repairs myself. I understand Your High... I mean boss. I'll put it at the top of my list, no worries."

"Are you sure you can fix her?" Kai asked. "Money is no object, if you need to hire any other mechanics..." Mr. Yan chuckled.

"Boss, you are more attached to this android than most. Don't worry, if I can't fix her, I'll find someone who can, just be sure there is enough money in the treasury." The old mechanic joked. Kai left his contact information and bid farewell and left the shop, leaving his kingdom's best chance for survival behind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: A Worsening Situation**

Prince Kai watched through the glass as a med-droid inserted an IV into his father's arm. Only five days had passed since the emperor had shown the first signs of the blue fever, but it felt like a lifetime. Years worth of worry and anguish rolled into so few hours.

Dr. Erland had once told him of an old suspicion that bad things always came in threes.

First, his android Nainsi had broken before she could communicate her findings.

And now his father was sick, with no hope for survival.

What would happen next? What could be worse than this?

Perhaps the lunars would declare war.

He cringed, wanting to take back the thought the second he had it.

Konn Torin, his father's advisor and the only other human allowed to see the emperor in such a state, clapped a hand on Kai's shoulder. "It will be all right," he said, without emotion, in that peculiar way he had of reading another person's thoughts.

Kai's father moaned and opened swollen eyes. The room was quarantined on the seventh floor of the palace's research wing, but the emperor had been made as comfortable as possible. Numerous screens lined the walls so he might enjoy music and entertainment, so he might be read to. His favorite flowers had been brought in droves from the gardens- lilies and chrysanthemums filling the otherwise sterile room. The bed was dressed in the finest silks the Commonwealth had to offer.

But none of it made much of a difference. It was still a room made to keep the living separated from the dying.

A clear window separated Kai from his father. He was squinting up at Kai now, but his eyes were empty as glass.

"Your Majesty," said Torin. "How are you feeling?"

"The emperor's eyes crinkled at the corners. He was not an old man, but the illness had aged him quickly. His complexion was yellow and pallid, and black and red splotches stippled his neck.

His fingers lifted from the blankets, the closest thing he could manage to a wave.

"Is there anything you need?" Torin asked. "A glass of water? Food?"

"An Escort5.3?" Kai suggested.

Torin cast the prince a disapproving glare, but the emperor wheezed a small chuckle.

Kai felt his eyes misting and had to look away, down at fingertips pressed into the windowsill.

"How much longer?" he said, quiet so his father wouldn't hear.

Torin shook his head. "Days, if that."

Kai could feel Torin's gaze on him, understanding but also harsh.

"You should be grateful for the time you have with him. Most people don't get to see their loved ones when they're taken away."

"And who wants to see their loved ones like this?" Kai looked up. His father was struggling to stay awake, his eyelids twitching. "Med, bring him water."

The android rolled to the emperor's side and lifted his backrest, guiding a glass of water to his lips and wiping away the dribble with a white cloth. He did not drink much but seemed refreshed when he had suck again into the pillows.

"Kai..."

"I'm here," Kai said, his breath fogging the glass.

"Be strong. Trust..." His words broke into a cough. The med-droid held a towel to his mouth, and Kai caught a glimpse of blood against the cotton. He shut his eyes, measuring his breath.

When he opened them again, the med-droid was filling the IV with clear, something to ease the pain. Kai and Torin watched as the emperor sank into a motionless sleep. Like watching a stranger. Kai loved him but couldn't quite connect the sick man before him with the vibrant father he'd had a week ago.

One week.

A shutter ran through him, and Torin squeezed his shoulder. Kai had forgotten his hand was there.

"Your Highness."

Kai said nothing, staring at his father's chest as it rose and fell.

The fingers on his shoulder tightened briefly, then fell away. "You are going to be emperor, Your Highness. We must begin to prepare you. We've already put it off too long."

Too long. One week.

Kai pretended not to hear him.

"As His Majesty said, you must be strong. You know I will help in any way I can." Torin paused. "You're going to be a fine leader."

"No. I'm not." Kai tugged a hand through his hair, pulling it back from his scalp.

He was going to be emperor.

The words rang hollow.

The true emperor was there, in that bed. _He_ was an imposter.

"I'm going to go talk to Dr. Erland," he said, stepping back from the glass.

"The doctor is busy, Your Highness. You shouldn't keep distracting him."

"I just want to ask if there has been any developments."

"I'm sure he will tell you immediately if there are."

Kai set his jaw and fixed his gaze on Torin, the man who had been his father's advisor since before Kai was born. Even now, standing in the same room with Torin made him feel like a child, gave him a peculiar urge to be unruly. He wondered if he would ever get over that.

"I need to feel like I'm doing _something_," he said. "I can't stand here watching him die."

Torin's eyes dropped. "I know Your Highness. It's hard for all of us."

_It's not the same,_ Kai wanted to say, but held his tongue.

Torin turned away from him, facing the window, and bowed his head. "Long live the emperor."

Kai repeated the words, whispering around the dryness in his throat. "Long live the emperor."

They were silent leaving the visitors room and walking down the hallway to the elevators.

A woman was waiting for them. Kai should have expected it-she was always nearby these days, when she was the last person on Earth he wanted to see.

Sybil Mira. Head thaumaturge to the Lunar Crown. Exceptionally beautiful, with waist-length black hair and warm, honeyed skin. She wore the uniform befitting her rank and title: a long white coat with a high collar and bell-shaped sleeves, embroidered along the hems with runes and hieroglyphs that meant nothing to Kai.

Five paces behind her stood her ever-present, ever-silent guard. He was a young man as handsome as Sybil was beautiful, with blond hair pulled into a low ponytail and sharp features that Kai had yet to see an expression on.

Sybil's lips curved as Kai and Torin approached, but her gray eyes remained cold.

"Your Imperial Highness," she said with a graceful dip of her head. "How fares the honorable Emperor Rikan?"

When Kai didn't respond, Torin answered, "Not well. Thank you for your concern."

"I am most displeased to hear that." She sounded about as pleased as a cat who'd just cornered a mouse. "My mistress sends her condolences and a wish for a speedy recovery."

She fixed her eyes on the prince, and her image seemed to shudder before him like a mirage. Whispers filled his head. Respect and admiration, compassion and concern.

Kai tore his gaze from her, silencing the voices. It took a moment for his racing pulse to steady.

"What do you want?" He said.

Sybil gestured toward the elevators. "A word with the man who will soon be emperor...should the fates deem so."

Kai glanced at Torin, but the face that met him was unsympathetic. Tact. Diplomacy. Always. Especially when it came to the cursed Lunars.

Sighing, he half turned to the waiting android. "Third floor."

The sensor flashed. "Please proceed to elevator C, Your Highness."

They boarded the elevator, Sybil floating into it like a feather upon a breeze. The guard entered last, staying by the door and facing the three of them as if the thaumaturge were in mortal danger. His icy gaze made Kai uncomfortable, but Sybil seemed to forget the guard was even there.

"This is a tragic time for His Majesty to fall ill," she said.

Kai gripped the rail and face her, pressing his hatred into the polished wood. "Would next month have been more convenient for you?"

Her patience didn't falter. "I speak, of course, of the alliance discussions my mistress has been engaged in with Emperor Rikan. We are most eager for an agreement that will suit both Luna and the Commonwealth."

Watching her made him dizzy, off balance, so he tore his gaze away and watched the numbers above the doors descend. "My father has been attempting to secure an alliance with Queen Levana since she first took the throne. _She_ has always declined."

"He has yet to meet her sensible demands."

Kai locked his teeth.

Sybil continued, "My hope is that, as emperor, you will be better able to see reason, Your Highness."

Kai was silent as the elevator passed floors six, five, four. "My father is a wise man. At this time, I have no intention of altering any of his previous decisions. I do hope we will be able to come to an agreement, but I'm afraid your _mistress_ will need to lower her very sensible demands."

Sybil's smile had frozen on her face.

"Well," she said as the doors opened to the third floor, "you are young."

He dipped his head, pretending she'd given a compliment, then faced Torin. "If you have a minute to spare, perhaps you could walk with me to Dr. Erland's office? You may have questions I've not thought of."

"Of course Your Highness."

Neither of them acknowledged the thaumaturge or her guard as they left the elevator, but Kai heard her sugared voice behind them-"Long live the emperor"-before the doors shut.

He growled. "We should have her incarcerated."

"A Lunar ambassador? That's hardly a show of peace."

"It's better treatment than they would give us." He raked a hand through his hair. "Gah-_Lunars_."

Realizing that Torin had stopped following, Kai dropped his hand and turned around. Torin's gaze was heavy. Worried.

"What?"

"I know this is a difficult time for you."

Kai felt his hackles rise in self-defense and tried to nudge them back down. "This is a difficult time for everyone."

"Eventually, Your Highness, we will have to discuss Queen Levana and what you intend to do about her. It would be wise to have a plan."

Kai steeped closer to Torin, ignoring a group of lab technicians that were forced to swarm around them. "I have a plan. My plan is to _not_ marry her. Diplomacy be damned. There End of discussion."

Torin's jaw flexed.

"Don't look at me like that. She would destroy us." Kai lowered his voice. "She would turn us into slaves."

"I know, Your Highness." His sympathetic eyes diffused Kai's mounting anger. "Please believe me when I say I would not ask it of you. Just as I never asked it of your father."

Kai backed away and slumped against the corridor wall. Scientists bustled past in their white coats, android treads whirred on the linoleum, but if anyone noticed the prince and his advisor, they didn't show it.

"All right, I'm listening," he said. "What's our plan?"

"Your highness, this is not the place-"

"No, no, you have my attention. Please, give me something to think about other than this stupid disease."

Torin took a calculated breath. "I don't think we need to rewrite our foreign affairs policy. We'll follow your father's example. For now, we'll hold out for a peace agreement, a treatise."

"And if she won't sign it? What then if she gets tired of waiting and decides to follow through on her treats? Can you imagine a war right now, with the plague, and the economy, and...she would destroy us. She knows that."

"If she wanted a war, she would have done it by now."

"Unless she's just biding her time, waiting for us to get so weak we won't have any choice but to surrender." Kai scratched at the back of his neck, watching the bustle of the corridor. Everyone so busy, so determined in their search for an antidote.

If there were an antidote.

He sighed. "I should have married. If I'd already married, Queen Levana wouldn't be an issue. She'd _have _to sign a peace treaty...if she wanted peace."

At Torin's silence, he forced himself to look back at the adviser, surprised to find a rare warmth in his face.

"Perhaps you'll meet a girl at the festival," said Torin. "Have a whirlwind romance, a happily ever after, and have no more worries for the rest of your days."

Kai tried to glare at him but couldn't maintain it. Torin so rarely joked. "Brilliant idea. Why didn't I think of it?" He turned, bracing his shoulder against the wall, and folded his arms over his chest. "Actually, maybe there's one option that you and my father haven't considered yet. Something that's been on my mind lately."

"Do tell, Your Highness."

He lowered his voice. "Lately, I've been doing a little research." He paused, before proceeding. "On...on the Lunar heir."

Torin's eyes widened. "Your Highness-"

"Just hear me out," Kai said, raising his hands to silence Torin before he could be chastised. He already knew what Torin would say: Princess Selene, Queen Levana's niece, was dead. She had died in a fire thirteen years ago. There was no Lunar heir.

"There are rumors every day," Kai continued. "Sightings, people claiming they helped her, theories..."

"Yes, we've all heard the theories. You know as well as I there's no substance to them."

"But what if they're true?" Kai crossed his arms and ducked his head toward Torin, voice trailing to a whisper. "What if there's a girl out there who could usurp Levana? Someone even stronger?"

"Are you listening to yourself? Someone stronger than Levana? You mean someone like her sister, who had her favorite seamstress's feet chopped off so she would have nothing better to do than sit and make her fine dresses?"

"We're not talking about Queen Channary."

"No, we're talking about her _daughter_. Kai, the entire bloodline, every last one of them has been greedy, violent, corrupted by their own power. It's in their blood. Believe me when I say that Princess Selene, even if she were alive, would be no better."

Kai realized his arms were aching from squeezing them so hard, his skin gone white around his fingertips. "She can't very well be worse," he said. "And who knows? If the rumors are right, and she has been on Earth all this time, maybe she would be different. Maybe she would be sympathetic to us."

"You're basing this wishful thinking on _rumors_."

"They never found a body..."

Torin pursed his lips in a thin line. "They found what was left of one."

"It couldn't hurt to do some research, could it?" Said Kai, beginning to feel desperate. His heart had been set on the idea for so long, his research harbored so close to his heart. He couldn't bear to think it had all been just wishful thinking, although the possibility had always lingered in the back of his mind.

"Yes it _could _hurt," said Torin. "If Levana were to find out you were considering this, it would destroy our chance at procuring a treaty. We shouldn't even be talking about this here-it's dangerous."

"Now who's listening to rumors?"

"Your Highness, this is the end of this discussion. Your objective right now must be to prevent a war, not worrying about phantom Lunar princesses."

"What if I _can't_ prevent it?"

Torin open his palms, looking weary after the argument. "Then the Union will fight."

"Right. Excellent plan. I'm so comforted now that we've had this talk."

He turned away marched blindly toward the labs.

Sure, the Earthen Union would fight. But against Luna, they would lose. As he began to lose himself to this despairing thought, he heard Torin's voice calling to him. Kai turned to face his advisor and noticed a look of something between nervousness and confusion held Torin's face. He let Torin catch up.

"Your Highness, something has come up that will require your attention soon. Please don't tarry with Dr. Erland." Kai at once fear for his father's life.

"My father..." he trailed off unable to finish. Torin shook his head.

"No Your Highness, not your father. We have a visitor, he will be arriving on Earth in the next hour." Kai cocked his head.

"Who Torin?" The advisor took a breath.

"The Grand Doge." He replied. "Of the Belt Confederacy."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: A New Ally?**

Kai didn't tarry long at Dr. Erland's office,. There hadn't been any new developments regarding letumosis, not that he actually expected any. Now he was force to put aside the distract of his fleeting hopes and face a new, very real situation.

_The Grand Doge is coming here?_ Kai thought to himself, perplexed. Why? Why now? At closest interval, travel to Earth from the Confederacy capital on Juno was three months travel at least. Normally such a long trek would have been announced well in advance of its departure. Which could mean this was a mission of some desperation and secrecy.

Kai racked his brain for a plausible reason, since he was waiting in the palace reception with nothing else to do. Kai remembered that the belt asteroid colonies were first settled some two hundred and fifty years ago by mining corporations. Due to their sheer distance from Earth, the colonies had to be self-sufficient from the start, leading a fiercely independent breed of people.

In the aftermath of the Fourth World War, several larger colonies seized the opportunity to gain their independence from the reorganized Earthen nations. Unable to respond effectively to the brewing revolutions, every Earthen nation 'officially' passed the baton of authority to the separate colonies in effort to save face. The asteroid colonies were gracious enough to not flaunt their victory over the radio channels, much.

The rise of the Belt Confederacy had been something of a surprise to most, though in hindsight Kai easily could see the logic behind its formation in face of changing times. With Earth's complete recovery from the last global war and Luna extending its influence, the residents in the Asteroid Belt felt their independence threatened. As Kai understood it, a few former colonies did fall back under Earthen and even Luna control by means of political, economic, and military pressure.

While that was enough to get the remaining asteroid states talking about an alliance, however among such a willful people whose chief concern was the preservation of their own power, it would have remained talk. Only the political brilliance of a charismatic Belter, Don Vastion Netherone, prove able enough to cobble together a confederation of the former colonies beginning thirty years ago.

Exactly how he had done this and maintained the alliance over the years against the natural resistance of the colonists and the influence of both Earth and Luna had been largely a mystery to most. However Kai, as crown prince, was privy to many classified reports that suggested the Grand Doge made use of several teams of very elite agents to secure his power in an undeclared war.

However he had maintained his power, Kai had a feeling that he was about to get to know him very well. After all, one doesn't transverse over an AU of space just to say hi. No, this new _guest _was going stay for a while. As if dealing with the Lunar queen through her thaumaturge wasn't bad enough during his father's sickness, now he would probably have to handle another demanding space sovereign, this time in person!

"Your Highness." Torin called to Kai as he sat in his chair, lost in thought. Kai jerked to attention and turned to Torin. "The Grand Doge has arrived."

"Send him in then, Torin." Kai sounded off before he could lose his nerve. Torin motioned for the doors of the audience chamber to open. As the large double doors swung aside, Kai got his first look at the Belter retinue.

They were dressed head to toe in thick garment like suits, gloves, and masks. The grey and brown garments were rather plain, unadorned with insignia other than patches on the shoulder marking them as crown republic escorts. They rather reminded Kai of the radiation shielding overcoats placed over the form the fitting pressure suits of military space pilots. They were probably wearing the pressure suits too.

Their masks were no more adorned than the suits, but far more intriguing as they were made from polished chrome, shiny and functional, complete with rebreathers. The only adornment he could see were the ruby sensor orbs in place of eyes and an almost imperceptible visual vocalizer. The prince was sure he could see his reflection if he got close enough.

The masks and garments, Kai understood, were more than simply clothing. Coming from an environment where a sudden loss of atmosphere was not unheard of in the recent past, all belter attire was pressurized. It also made it difficult to tell if they were man or woman, thought he was fairly confident that the shortest one in the back was female.

Kai stole the occasional glance at their feet. He had heard that all belters had prehensile feet, a genetic modification from a time before the reliable use of artificial gravity. It was said that they could use their feet almost as well as their hands and made monkeys out of anyone else in zero-gravity sports. The shoes the escort wore seemed normal enough so Kai let his curiosity go.

Then walked in he who could only have been the Grand Doge. His suit was black and blue, embroidered with white, geometric designs, yet still maintained the impression that it could protect its occupant from a vacuum, and black walking stick capped with metal, probably iridium. Like the rest, what was most striking about the Grand Doge's attire was his mask. Not smooth chrome as the escorts, but iridium of Belter elected royalty, with a human face form and quite stylized with twisting patterns.

Kai had never known what to make of iridium as the choice for royal masks. A rare as precious metal on Earth, but far more common in asteroids, iridium wasn't so difficult to obtain for Belters. Rarely did royal belters associate with anyone outside the Belt and so independent were the people that Kai would have thought it logical that the material from which their masks were made would be something rare among _their_ kind. However, they had chosen something rare on Earth, but associated with asteroids. _Could they, despite their outward distain, have an inferiority complex?_

Kai sized up the Grand Doge, not an easy task when he could see your face and you couldn't see his. Medium height, probably medium build underneath all that suit, all in all very unremarkable on the outside. However, Kai knew that this man was anything but unremarkable, if only mysterious. His youth was well recorded, but even the top intelligence could only declare summary of his career with sketchy details.

The asteroid colonies were notorious for fighting amongst themselves after they gained their independence from Earth over a hundred years ago. Unifying them and keeping them that way was an incredible feat first achieved by the Grand Doge but the fact that he had maintained these last thirty years without any apparent problems was a far greater achievement. It took great diplomatic and social skill on order of the best statesman in history.

So here he was, a wet nose boy prince, not yet twenty with no experience in politics and diplomacy facing a man, at more than three times his ageand said to be the greatest diplomat mankind had seen in a century. It didn't look good for Kai, he could only hope that the Doge's visit would be nothing like Sybil Mira's. Otherwise it would be a war on two fronts.

Torin cleared his throat, signaling to Kai that he was taking too long to greet their visitor. Kai flushed, he hadn't even spoken to the Doge and already he was making himself look like a speechless idiot. Regaining a measure of calm by breathing in and out slowly, he addressed the Grand Doge.

"Grand Doge Vastion Netherone, I offer you welcome to the Eastern Commonwealth in the name of my father, Emperor Rikan." The Grand Doge inclined his head slightly, a nod of respect and acceptance.

"I thank you for your hospitality, Prince Kaito. May my presence be a blessing on your house." The traditional greeting of a belter visitor. The Grand Doge's voice was cool but showed no obvious sign of arrogance like Sybil Mira's.

"You are a long way from the Belt, Grand Doge. May I ask the reason for your visit?" It was a bold move, and Torin's momentary frown indicated that he felt Kai had overstepped his bounds. However Kai was too anxious to waddle through hours of meaningless rhetoric just to come to the point. He wondered if the Doge was frowning like Torin or smiling at Kai's lack of tact.

"Of course you may, Prince Kaito." No sign of irritation, but behind that mask anyone could hide their emotions. "I know my arrival is very much unexpected, but fortune was with me. I was inspecting our border base at Sisyphus when I heard the news about your father's illness and came as soon as I heard. I have to see him." _Fortune indeed_, Kai thought sarcastically, _Sisyphus is the closest Belter base to Earth. What are the odds he was actually inspecting his innermost base while my father is taken ill with __letumosis?_

"Your concern for my Father's wellbeing is appreciated, however he is not well enough to be seen by anyone. I will pass..." The Grand Doge interrupted.

"I'm afraid you misunderstand Prince Kai. Wishing 'get well' to your father is _not _why I am here, he and I have business to discuss. Very important business." The Doge's voice took on a more condescending tone and it rubbed Kai the wrong way.

"As I was saying, _Grand Doge_, my father is too ill to see anyone. Your business, however important, can wait until he recovers, or you can discuss it with me if your need is so great." The Grand Doge stepped forward.

"I offer you no disrespect, Prince." The Doge's voice lowered even more. "But if you believe your father is going to survive this, then you are greatly mistaken. Emperor Rikan's chances of recovery are so astronomically small he is as good as dead. You are too inexperienced for the scheme I have been putting together and I don't trust any of your advisors, not while there is a lunar thaumaturge under your roof. It is to your father I alone will speak."

"Then you won't speak at all!" Kai replied, voice laced with indignation. Who was this man to come in here and say all this. Kai wasn't blind to his father's condition, quite the contrary, he knew his father could be gone in a second. Then there was the slight against Kai's advisors. _No disrespect_, indeed! Kai trusted his advisors, especially Torin, with his life. Although, on second thought, the Doge had a point with Sybil Mira. Still it was too much. "My father can't say more than three words together or have your forgotten what letumosis does to its victims?"

"No, I am quite aware of it effects, so I came prepared." The Doge pulled out a vial from a belt pouch. Not more than ten centimeters long and two wide, it would fit on a number of injectable needles. In it was a clear, yellowish liquid. Kai stared at it, hope, foolish hope, flared within. _A cure?_

"This is not a cure," The Grand Doge stated, as if reading Kai's mind. "merely a solution which will reverse most of the symptoms of letumosis for an hour or so. It will allow the emperor to speak well enough for my purpose. However, as his closest surviving relative I require your permission to proceed." Kai hesitated, it wasn't a cure, but if it could relieve his father's suffering by some small degree then he was tempted to use it.

"With respect Grand Doge," Torin interrupted and asked the question Kai was just forming in his mind. "But where did you come by that solution?"

"We have our own outbreaks of letumosis in the Belt," was the reply. "This," he held up the vial, "is the product of our research."

"That is a remarkable achievement," Kai declared, reasserting his presence. "Perhaps if we could exchange research we might better our chances of finding a cure. In any case I will need my father's doctors to verify that your solution does what you say it does." The Doge brought his arms behind his back, concealing the vial.

"I'm afraid that will take too long, your Highness. This is the only sample I have on hand and the entire contents will be required for your father. It will take week to get another sample from Sisyphus and by that time your father could be dead. It must be now, Kai!" The Doge spoke firmly, in a voice that strangely reminded Kai of his father's. The way he used Kai's name... there was something about it.

"Forgive my frankness Prince Kai, believe me when I say that I have nothing but your welfare at heart," The Doge's voice softened. "And since your are taking the risk, if you want I can offer the last five minutes to you." There was a pause, then the Doge made one final entreaty with open arms, vial visible. "I'm asking you to trust me your Highness."

And Kai did. He didn't quite know why, after all he hadn't known this man before they met today. Kai couldn't even see his face, but that reasoning meant nothing, only the strong feeling that this man could offer Kai a lifeline to his father. A father fast fading away, though alive couldn't impart more than half a half a phrase of consoling wisdom. The Doge offered him a chance to reconnect with his father, if only for a few minutes.

Kai turned to Torin expecting the wiser, older man to shake his head in disapproval. Yet when their eyes met, Torin's showed Kai nothing but that same hope.

"Alright," Kai agreed quickly. "I'll let you use the solution and talk to my father, but be sure to finish your business on time. Ready or not I will talk to my father."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Price **

The Doge's men, or women, Kai still couldn't quite tell, swept for bugs and disabled all monitoring equipment except for the Emperor's bio-data probes. The speed at which this was accomplished stunned the Prince. They seemed to have been prepared for everything, their suits were even bio-hazard rated so they didn't waste time donning the ones from the palace research team. This gave Kai's hope some solid ground that the Grand Doge knew what he was doing.

Soon everyone was shooed out of the viewing area, leaving the Emperor alone with the Grand Doge and the shortest attendant. Kai hurried to the preparation clean rooms to don a bio-hazard suit, if he only had five minutes to have an intelligent conversation with his father, then he wasn't going to do it behind a glass wall. The time ticked slowly as Kai watched the clock, the numbers grinding their way through the hour.

Finally, the doors to the decontamination chamber opened and the Grand Doge stepped out. He gestured to the doors with a bow and let Kai rush by him to the decontamination chamber doors. The doors slid behind Kai sealing him in and the cycling of air from his father's isolation room began. It wasn't a long process, not as long as coming back out will be with the sterilization procedure added in to prevent the disease getting outside.

The doors open and Kai entered the isolation room. The sight that greeted him was so familiar, but different. Before him _stood_ his father, Emperor Rikan, and he was smiling. It was so much like it had been before the letumosis, but the disease was still there, marring the emperor's features but not consuming them as they had when Kai last saw him. When Dr. Erland had informed Kai of the sudden improvement in his father vital signs bordering on the radical, Kai couldn't move himself to more than a half belief. It was full now.

Arms open, Kai ran to embrace his father, ignoring all protocol, not that had mattered that much between them. His father's hug was strong enough to squeeze the air from Kai's lungs. So unexpected was his father's strength that Kai began cough to recover his breath. His father looked at him ruefully and helped Kai to his bed.

"I'm sorry son, it seems that I don't know my own strength." The Emperor apologized.

"Funny," Kai said once he had recovered. "You help me to the bed while you're the one who's sick." His father let out a hearty chuckle, something Kai never thought he'd hear again. Then the Emperor became solemn.

"Kai, I have to be quick, I don't have much time." He started.

"I know dad," Kai tried to sound confident.

"No, you don't." Rikan denied. "The Doge told me everything. He lied to you, that solution he gave me, it reverses the outward symptoms of letumosis but accelerates the disease." It was so sudden that Kai wasn't sure what to make of the explanation, until his father spelled it out. "I'm dying Kai, in three minutes it will be over."

Precious seconds passed by as Kai came to grips with what he was hearing. Anger was the first thing that burst forth.

"THAT..." He started but unexpectedly, the Emperor cut him off. Gripping the side of his son's head and turned the boy's eyes to face his own. Stern and unyielding, an emperor resolute in his decision, the prince's angry quelled.

"Don't waste your breath on that man. If you want to be angry, be angry with me. The Doge gave me the choice without the deception. I knew what I was doing Kai, I chose to die strong as I had lived rather than waste away hoping in vain for a cure that will never come in time." His eyes softened. "Let us not waste anymore time, we have so little left.

"Son, I am proud of you. You are everything your mother and I hoped for, my only, ONLY regret is not being able to see you become the man I know you will be. The emperor you will make. I only have one request."

"Anything dad!" Kai replied quickly.

"Kai, I want you to consider a political marriage," Rikan hesitated for a moment and Kai almost thought he intended Levana. "to the daughter of the Grand Doge."

Kai had started to pull away but his father's grip held him in place. Thinking of the Grand Doge stirred Kai's ire. How could his father request something like this after what the Doge had tricked him? What had transpired during their meeting? His father shook him back to reality.

"Kai! Focus!" Desperation was creeping into his father's voice. "I won't ask you to marry her, just think about it."

"Why?!" Kai pled.

"The Doge has a plan, he laid it out to me and I agreed it was best. The Doge will handle all the details, but you have to declare your intention to pursue his daughter's hand." Kai said nothing, mulling over what his father had requested. His father spoke once more. "Kai, do you trust me?"

"Of course!" Kai replied eagerly. "You're my father!"

"Well then..." The emperor left a painful pause, heavy with yearning.

"I..." The words came slowly, but they came. "will consider it." His father smiled and pulled Kai into his arms with that crushing embrace that he had welcomed Kai with.

"I love you Kai, so much. Only your mother loved you more. When I see her, I'll tell her all about her boy." They simply stayed there, not speaking, just feeling. It was as if time did not exist. Then his father's arms loosen and leaned back, Kai thought he was going to say something more, but no. Too late did Kai realize his father's strength draining away, his face becoming lax as his eyes rolled back and closed.

The Emperor was dead. Kai didn't care, he cried his father's name, pleading him to return. When that didn't work he cradled his father and wept silently. Loneliness and loss consumed Kai for, he didn't know how long. Minutes, hours? Did it matter? He was alone, the man he trusted most, loved most, was gone. What mattered to him now?

Finally he came out of that dark world and saw a light in his blurry eyes. No two lights, eyes, glowing eyes. Glowing eyes on a shiny, metal face. _The mask of the Grand Doge_, he realized.

Then it hit him. The anger, the rage, the simple desire to tear a man to pieces out of revenge. All founded on that bitter earth of despair and fear, he was quite simply mad.

"**YOU!**" Kai screamed as he vaulted from his father's lifeless body toward the observation window. His hands, as if with minds of their own, snatched whatever they could lift and launched them at the Doge. Silk pillows bounced off, vases fill with flowers shattered, spilling their contents on the floor, and, surprisingly, a wheeled metal tray crashed on the window then to the floor. Yet he still stood, unfazed, with that cursed mask showing nothing but indifference to Kai's twisted face.

"**YOU KILLED HIM!**" Kai's screams continued. "**YOU PROMISED TO HELP! LIAR! MURDERER! I...I trusted you!**"

"Kai!" Torin's voice entered into Kai's enraged consciousness. The warning was unnecessary. With the emotion of his anger spent for the moment, Kai regained control and stood silent. Then he raised his head to face the Doge and spoke slowly with a clear, threatening voice.

"I will give you until I get out of Decontamination to leave the palace and be on your way to the Belt. If not, Diplomatic Immunity or no Diplomatic Immunity, I will have you arrested and executed by sunrise." Torin, horrified at such disrespectful threats being issued to a foreign sovereign guest, tried to demand that Kai apologize. Before he could though, Kai, for the first time in his life, cut off Torin's protests with a withering look of his own. Silently, Kai returned his gaze to the mask. The mask spoke as he bowed, voice as before, cool without arrogance or emotion.

"As you command, Emperor Kaito."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Old Enemy at the Gates**

Kai roamed the halls, he didn't care where he went or who wanted to speak with him , so he turned off his communicator. It had been hours as he wandered and the pangs of loss were beginning to wear off and he started to feel hungry and sleepy. When was it he ate last or slept? Torin had made several attempts approach Kai, but was rebuffed, Kai didn't what to talk to anyone. Now that Kai had worn through the initial wave of grief he supposed he should face Torin now.

Finding the trusted advisor wasn't hard, if anything Torin found him, the man never was far away. Torin's face was filled with concern and not the reprimand Kai thought might be coming. Placing his portscreen under his arm, Torin gave Kai a short, respectful bow. Kai could see the sleeplessness in Torin's eyes and smell the tea on his breath. Kai now felt guilty, Torin had stayed late, rather than return to his own home, his bed.

"I will set up a press conference." Torin's hollow voice filled the void as they walked

back to the isolation room.

"A _press _conference?"

"The country needs to know. We will mourn together." Torin seemed to be overcome

with resignation but with a deep breath, he covered it.

Kai squeezed his eyes shut and chafed them with his fingers. Even knowing that it was

coming, that his father was sick with this incurable disease, that he had hours to ponder the

consequences, it still made no sense. All had just been lost, taken so quickly. Not just his

father. Not just the emperor.

His youth. His freedom.

"You will be a good emperor," said Torin. "As he was."

Kai flinched away from him, harder to do as they entered the confines of the viewing

room. He did not what to think about it, all of his own inadequacies. He was too young, too

stupid, too optimistic (well maybe not at the moment), too naive. He couldn't do this.

The screen behind them pinged, followed by a sweetly feminine voice: "Incoming

communication for Crown Prince Kaito of the Eastern Commonwealth from Queen Levana of

Luna."

Kai spun toward the netscreen, blank but for a spinning globe in the corner, signaling an

available comm. Any remnant of tears vanished into an oncoming headache. The air

thickened, but neither of them moved.

"She knows." said Kai. He looked at Torin. "How long has she known?"

"I have been... holding her calls while you collected yourself. It seemed wise considering

how you addressed the Doge." Torin explained. Kai was impressed, normally Torin wouldn't

have taken such a risk with the Lunar Queen, but maybe the whole situation with the Grand

Doge changed that. "If I had to guess I'd say within fifteen minutes of your father's death. "

"She must have spies." Kai remarked, more convinced than ever. From the corner of his

eye, he saw Torin level a glare at him. A warning not to start in on the conspiracy theories just

yet.

"Perhaps the thaumaturge or her guard heard about the Doge's audience with your

father," He said. "It was hardly a secret."

Locking his jaw, Kai drew himself to his full height, hailing the screen like an enemy. "I

guess our mourning period is over," he murmured. "Screen, accept comm."

The screen brightened. Kai bristled at the sight of the Lunar Queen, her head and

shoulders draped in an ornate cream-colored veil, like a perpetual bride. All that could be seen

beneath the shroud was a hint of long dark hair and the ghost of her features. The explanation

told by the lunars was that their queen's beauty was a gift not too be seen by undeserving

Earthens, but Kai had heard that in reality the queen's glamour-her ability to make people see

her as divinely beautiful by manipulating their brain waves-could not translate over the

netscreens, therefore she never allowed herself to be seen over them.

Whatever the reason, looking at the white-swathed figure for too always made Kai's

eye's sting.

"My dear Prince Regent," Levana said in a saccharine voice, "may I be the first to offer

my condolences on the loss of your father, the good Emperor Rikan. May he forever rest in

peace and may his murderer be gravely punished for his trespass.

"Though the occasion is tragic, I do look forward to continuing the talk of an alliance

with you, as the new leader of Earth's Eastern Commonwealth. As I see no reason to defer

these conversations until your coronation, whensoever that shall be, I do think it appropriate to

plan a meeting as soon as is convenient in your time mourning. My shuttle is prepared. I can

depart as soon as your next sunrise and come to offer both my sympathies and my

congratulations in the flesh. I will alert my Thaumaturge to expect my arrival. She can ensure

that accommodations are adequately prepared. I ask that you do not concern yourself with my

comfort. I am sure you will have many other concerns during this tragic time. My sympathies

are with you and the Commonwealth." She finished her message with a tilt of her head and the

screen blackened.

Jaw hanging, Kai faced Torin. He squeezed his fists against his sides before they could

start to shake. "She wants to come _here_? Now? It hasn't even been half a day!"

Torin cleared his throat. "We should discuss this in the morning. Before the press

conference, I suppose."

Kai turned away, thunking his head against the window. Beyond the glass, the peaks of

his father's body obscured beneath the white sheet, not unlike the queen and her veil. The

emperor had lost so much weight in the past week that his form seemed more like a

mannequin's than a man's.

His father was no longer there. Unable to protect Kai. Unable to offer advice. Unable

to lead his country ever again.

"She thinks I'm weak," Kai said. "She's going to try and persuade me to accept the

marriage alliance now, while everything is in chaos." He wanted to kick the wall, but his own

words reminded him of something. "Torin does the Grand Doge have a daughter?"

"Apparently so, though I was unaware of that fact until today." Torin replied. "I know

Your Highness, the Doge told me as he left. I'm afraid it is not as a good solution as it may

appear to be at first glance. Though we should wait until morning to discuss that as well."

Kai ground his teeth as his mind returned to the Lunar Queen. "Can't we tell Levana no?

Tell her she's not welcome here?"

"I'm not sure that would be the indication of peace your father had been striving for."

"_She's_ the one who's been threatening war for the last twelve years!"

Torin pursed his lips, and the haunting worry in his gaze quelled Kai's anger. "Discussions must go two ways, Your Highness. We will listen to her requests, but she must listen to ours as well."

Kai's shoulders drooped. He turned around, craning his head back and staring at the shadowed ceiling. "What did she mean, her thaumaturge will prepare her accommodations?"

"Removing the mirrors, I suspect."

Kai squeezed his eyes shut. "Mirrors. Right. I forgot." He massaged his forehead. What was it about the Lunars? And not just any Lunar. Queen Levana. On Earth. In his country, his home. He shivered. "The people aren't going to like this."

"No." Torin sighed. "Tomorrow will be a dark day for the Commonwealth."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: The Morning Discussion**

Kai did not sleep well, with his father's death and the coming of Queen Levana, he stayed awake until four in the morning. Finally sleep had come and so he wasn't entirely exhausted when he rose. Just mostly. It would have to be enough for his discussion with Torin.

Kai had his breakfast sent to the private counsel chamber and just finished the rice and fish just as Torin came in. He dismissed the chamberlain with his dishes and leaned back ever so slightly in his seat. Torin looked better than he had last night though the light shadows under his eyes show Kai that he didn't sleep well either. When the door closed, Torin started to speak.

"I have had a team put together an announcement for your father's passing and for Queen Levana's arrival. I only need you to look over and approve it for the press conference." The table before Kai lighted up as its built in netscreen activated. Words scrolled in front of Kai, words he knew described what was happening, but didn't express what he felt or what the people would feel soon enough. However, Kai could see no wrong in it and he was eager to get to actual discussion, so he signed off.

"So I wasn't having a nightmare last night, she's really coming?" He asked.

"I'm afraid so Your Highness. Her thaumaturge had the palace staff start the removal of mirrors from the East Wing late last night. They are nearly finished now." Torin returned.

"The East Wing!" Kai cried. "That's preposterous! Even she cannot expect to have an entire wing to herself!"

"I believe she will not, Prince Kai." Torin corrected. "She is taking only the largest of the guest quarters. The mirrors have been removed from the rest of the wing for her 'ease of movement' about the palace."

Kai ground his teeth. He doubt that was the sole reason, though if the mirror theories were true, it was a convenient one. However, Kai suspected it was another sign from Levana that that she was in control. His thoughts turned in a new direction.

"What kind of disturbance are we expected to see when everyone knows she's coming?" He dreaded the answer but he had to know.

"Analysts are predicting general agitation among the city's population. It will probably cause a few riots in the less fortunate neighborhoods from the onset, though we expect the wealthier regions to remain quiet. Nevertheless, we are expecting a large organized protest to arrive at the palace soon after the Queen's arrival early in the afternoon."

"I suppose that could become a problem." Kai speculated.

"I believe so Your Highness." Torin agreed. "Though I'm sure Queen Levana is expecting it as well, and will take advantage of the opportunity it provides."

"You think she's going to show off her magic?" Kai asked. "Show us how powerless we are?"

"That," Torin replied. "is what I believe."

"I'll probably be rendered a drooling idiot when she comes." Kai mused darkly. "I wonder if she will have me propose on the landing pad or will she wait for a romantic dinner?"

"She will not act so directly, Your Highness." Torin disagreed. "It would be too obvious and she is too exposed. If she were to try that, the other Earthen nations would intercede. They are carefully watching, and although they are reluctant to go to war, they may if they feel the Queen is taking too much advantage over you. Such a disaster would in the end be to Queen Levana's benefit, but at a huge cost and she'd be risking her life. No, she will use her power, but only to weaken you, she will try other, more conventional means to break you. Resisting her will be difficult though."

Kai studied Torin's expression. It was hard, resolute, but with a touch of fatalism, Kai may have imagined that last one. Resisting a lunar, according to tales, was like walk upstream in a fast flowing river. Fight all you want, the current takes you with it anyway. Kai decided to take the conversation in a new direction.

"So how does the Doge's offer fit into all this?" Kai's anger had cooled during the night, and in light of the Lunar Queen's imminent arrival. Fulfilling his father's dying wish wasn't looking so bad now. Even if he had to live with the fact his father-in-law had killed his father, it wasn't like the Doge was in the same league of evil as Levana.

Torin sighed before he responded. "At first, the arrangement your father agreed to before he died, at least what we know of it, seems to be the solution to our difficulties with the Lunar Queen at least in terms of the balance of power. However, on closer inspection it is an illusion for two reasons.

"First is the fact that the Belt Confederacy is a crown republic like its member states. Though a Grand Doge is the sovereign ruler for life, he is elected and can be disposed by an opposing political movement with enough votes of the Grand Assembly. Nor will his daughter inherit his throne, not unless she was to be elected in his stead, which is unlikely.

"Then, even if she were to become the Grand Dogaressa and married you her people would never allow her to live on Earth, though it would be Commonwealth custom. If we know anything about the Belters is that they fiercely value their independence, and because their borders have been closed for years to anything but strict material trade we can discern that their obsession for autonomy from Earth is still strong. Thus marrying into the Doge's family could provoke unrest in the Confederacy, from which Queen Levana could take advantage.

"Lastly, the Belt Confederacy's military is not as formidable as people think."

"But I thought the Confederacy's fleet was the largest in the solar system?" Kai interrupted. Torin took in a deep breath.

"Yes," He conceded. "They do technically field the largest fleet. However most of their ships are short range, only really effective in a regional defense role. As for the ships that are capable of making the necessary voyage to Earth, they are spread out among the Belt. It would take them months to mobilize for war and then there is the distance to Earth. The journey of at least one and a half A.U. would take two months at best."

Kai pondered this for a moment. He soon found a historical comparison. "This scenario is just like the Russo-Japanese War from the Second Age!"

Torin nodded in agreement to Kai's frustration. "Indeed."

"Then why would he offer his daughter's hand to me if it would amount to nothing!" Kai lifted himself out of his seat forceful as he spoke, knocking his chair down in his irritation.

"I am afraid that the best explanation for his rash offer is to put Queen Levana on the defensive. He's hoping that the Queen wouldn't be able to see through his bluff."

"Which of course is crazy." Kai pointed out. "If we can see all the holes in this plan, then surely Levana could." Kai didn't go into his suspicions about Lunar spies, Torin would only shoot him down again. "Is it possible that the Doge has some angle that we haven't considered?"

"That is possible, but unlikely. I have had the combine resources of both the Office of Intelligence and the Diplomatic Service looking into this to no avail."

"But he's the Grand Doge, the 'Diplomatic Prodigy,' and we still don't know exactly how he could unite most of the Belt." Torin considered Kai's anxiety.

"I suppose it is possible." Torin conceded. "If he had been planning this for a long time, he could have removed the obstacles without anyone knowing. But Your Highness, I would not trust to that, his reign is still shaky and he has yet to display the level of shrewdness of his youth, this notion is simply too fantastic to be reliable."

"Not that it matters." Kai grumbled as he remember the events of the previous day. He turned away. "He's probably half way back to the Belt by now."

"Actually," Torin rolled his tongue. "He never left New Beijing."

Kai's gaze bolted back to Torin's eyes. "What!" He cried, a pulse of angry swelled in him. "I ordered him to leave the Commonwealth! I even threatened to execute him!"

"Yes you did." Torin's continence took on an admonishing tone. "And he technically complied."

"Complied? But you said that he was still in New Beijing!" Kai was confused.

"He is." Torin confirmed. "He has an established embassy in the in the Takada District, thus he is legally on Belt Confederacy soil." Kai delved into his brain. The Takada District, also called the Diplomat's Village, was the section of New Beijing dedicated to foreign embassies as well as many of the rich citizens of other nations. He had no idea that the news caused Kai's mood to brighten some.

"He's staying. He does have something up his sleeve!" He could help smiling. "Do you know what this could mean?"

"It means," Torin became stern. "That he is arrogant, whether he has good reason to be arrogant remains to be seen."

"Is his daughter at the embassy too?" Kai asked, becoming curious.

"There has been no indication to suggest that she is." Torin replied. "I will grant that his Grace, the Grand Doge hasn't divulged so much as her name, but I can say for certain that no special accommodations were arranged for any other than the Doge himself."

"No name!" Kai raised an eyebrow. "Does he expect me to marry her via radio?" He laughed at his own weak joke, then got serious. "Do you think he is trying to protect her? I mean if he is serious about this marriage, Levana probably wouldn't like it. May he's afraid that she will assassinate his daughter."

"That, Your Highness, is a very dangerous conclusion." Torin spoke slowly. "Though not entirely unfounded, I suggest you not speak of it to anyone while the Lunar Queen is here." After that, the discussion continued to a few lesser matters before they concluded and left the room.

Kai's shoulders slumped as he felt the weight of this new obstacle. He didn't know this girl. He had only met her father, but as far as he could see she was his best, his only way, out of the noose that Queen Levana was tightening around his neck. She couldn't be worse than the witch queen, but if he was going to use her as an excuse, as his shield to protect his country, he needed to get to know her. _How am I suppose to court this girl if I don't even know her name?_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Viper in the Yard**

The lunar spacecraft did not appear much different from Earthen spacecrafts, except that its body shimmered as if inlaid with diamonds, and a string of gold runes encircled its hull in an unbroken line. The ship was too bright in the afternoon sun and Kai had too squint against the glare. He did not know if the runes were magic or if they were only meant to seem so. He did not know if the ship was made out of some fancy, glittery material, or if they'd just painted it that way. He did know it hurt to look at.

The ship was larger than the personal shuttle the queens head thaumaturge, Sybil, had come to Earth on and yet still relatively small for all the importance it carried: smaller than most passenger ships and smaller than any cargo ship Kai had seen. It was a private ship, meant only for the Lunar queen and her entourage. He briefly wondered if the Doge had come in a similar vessel or something more conservative.

The ship landed without a jolt. Heat rose up from the concrete in blistering waves. The fine silk of Kai's shirt was clinging to his back and a trickle of sweat had begun down his neck- in the evening the welcome pad would be sheltered by the palace's stone walls, but now it was under full assault by the late August sun.

They waited.

Torin, at Kai's side, did not fidget. His face was impassive, expectant. His calmness only unsettled Kai even more.

On Kai's other side, Sybil Mira stood dressed in her official white coat with its embroidered runes, similar to those on the ship. The material seemed lightweight, yet it covered her from the top of her throat to the knuckles of each hand, and the flared tails hung past her knees. She must have been sweltering, but she looked fully composed.

A few steps behind her stood the blond guard, hands clasped behind his back.

Two of Kai's own royal guards stood at either side of the platform.

That was all. Levana had insisted that no one else greet her at the pad.

Kai dug his nails into his palms in an attempt to keep the sneer from his face, and waited while the heat plastered his bangs to his forehead.

Finally, when the queen seemed to have grown tired of making them suffer, the ramp of the ship descended, revealing silver-furnished stairs.

Two men alighted first- both tall muscular. One was pale with wildly unkempt orange hair and was dressed in the same warrior-like body armor and weaponry that Sybil's guard wore. The other man was dark as a night sky, with no hair at all, and wore a coat like Sybil's with its bell sleeves and embroidery. His, however, was crimson, announcing that he was beneath Sybil, a second-tier thaumaturge. Kai was glad he knew enough about the Lunar court to recognize _that_, at least.

He watched the two men as they surveyed the pad, the surrounding walls, and the assembled group with stoic expressions before standing to either side of the ramp.

Sybil slinked forward. Kai swallowed a breath of stifling air.

Queen Levana appeared at the top of the stairs. She still wore her long veil, blindingly bright beneath the relentless sun. Her white dress whispered around her hips as she glided down the steps and accepted Sybil's hand.

Sybil dipped to one knee and touched her forehead to her queen's knuckle. "Our separation was insufferable. I am pleased to be in your service once more, my Queen." Then she stood and with a single graceful motion lifted the vial back from Levana's face.

The hot air caught in Kai's throat, choking him. The queen paused just long enough to seem as though she were letting her eyes adjust to the bright daylight of Earth-but Kai suspected she really just wanted him to see her.

She was indeed beautiful, as if someone had taken the scientific measurements of perfection and used them to mold a single ideal specimen. Her face was slightly heart shaped, with high cheekbones barely flushed. Auburn hair fell in silken ringlets to her waist and her unblemished ivory skin shimmered like mother-of-pearl in the sunshine. Her lips were red red red, looking like she'd just drunk a pint of blood.

A chill shook Kai from the inside out. She was unnatural.

Kai risked a glance at Torin and saw he held Levana's gaze without outward emotion. Seeing his advisor's resolve sent a jolt of determination through Kai. Reminding himself that it was only an illusion, he forced himself to look at the queen again.

Her onyx eyes glittered as they swept over him.

"Your Majesty," Kai said, folding his fist to his heart, "it is my greatest honor to welcome you to my country and planet."

Her lips curled. A sweetness lit up her face-an innocence to match a child's. It unsettled him. She did not bow or even nod but instead held out her hand.

Kai hesitated, staring at the pale, translucent skin, wondering if just touching her was all it would take to destroy a man's mind.

Bracing himself, he took her hand and brushed a quick kiss against her fingers. Nothing happened.

"Your Highness," she said in a lilting voice that thrummed along Kai's spine. "It is my greatest honor to be thus welcomed. Might I again offer my sincerest condolences on the loss of your father, the great Emperor Rikan."

Kai knew she was not at all sorry for his father's death, but neither her expression nor her tone hinted at a thing.

"Thank you," he replied. "I hope everything meets your expectations during your visit."

"I look forward to the Eastern Commonwealth's famed hospitality."

Sybil stepped forward, eyes respectfully averted from Queen Levana. "I inspected your quarters myself, my Queen. They are subpar to our accommodations on Luna, but I think they will be adequate."

Levana did not acknowledge her thaumaturge, but her gaze softened, and the world changed. Kai felt that the ground lurched beneath him. That the air had been sucked from the earth's atmosphere. That the sun had gone black, leaving the ethereal queen the only source of light in the galaxy.

Tears pricked at the back of his eyes.

He loved her. He needed her. He would do anything to please her.

He jabbed his fingernails into his palms as hard as he could, nearly yelping from the pain, but it worked. The queen's control disintegrated, leaving only the beautiful woman-not the desperate adoration of her.

He knew that she was aware of the effect she'd had on him as he struggled to sooth his ragged breathing, and though he wanted to detect cold haughtiness in her black eyes, he saw nothing. Nothing at all.

"If you will follow me," he said, his voice slightly hoarse, "I will show you to your rooms."

"That will not be necessary," said Sybil. "I am quite familiar with the quest wing and can take Her Majesty myself. We could like a moment to speck in private."

"Of course," said Kai, hoping that his relief didn't show.

Sybil led the way, the second thaumaturge and the two guards marching behind. They paid Kai and Torin no heed as they passed, but Kai didn't doubt they would snap his neck in a second if he made any suspicious movements.

He released a shaky breath when they had gone. "Did you feel her?" he asked, barely above a whisper.

"Of course," said Torin. His eyes were drawn to the ship, but he could have been staring at Mars for all the focus in his eyes. "You resisted her well, Your Highness. I know it was difficult."

Kai brushed his hair off his forehead, seeking a breeze, any breeze, but it didn't come. "It wasn't so hard. It was only for a moment."

Torin's eyes met his. It was one of the few times Kai had seen true sympathy in that gaze. "It will get harder."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: The Demonstration**

Harder it did become. Kai dug his fingernails into his knees when the chanting of the protestors ceased. Torin turned toward him, their expressions mirrors of surprise, though Torin was quicker to disguise it. The gathered protest had not been unexpected, though little was done to prevent it. A little hostility from a country's native people's could go a long way to deterring would be usurpers. However the queen's success at calming the crowd had been far too easy; Kai had hoped for at least a hint of struggle from the citizens.

Gulping, Kai morphed his face back into collectiveness.

"It is a most useful trick," said Sybil, sitting on the edge of the chaise lounge by the holographic fire. "Particularly when dealing with unruly citizens, which are never tolerated on Luna."

"I've heard that when citizen are unruly, there's usually a good reason for it," said Kai. Torin flashed him a warning frown, but he ignored it. "And brainwashing doesn't exactly seem like the proper solution."

Sybil folded her hands politely in her lap. "_Proper_ is such a subjective word. This solution is _effective_, and that can hardly be argued with."

Levana flew back into the parlor with clenched fists. Kai's pulse ratcheted when the queen's glare fell on him. Being in her presence was like sitting in a confined room that was quickly running out of oxygen.

"It would appear," she said, carefully enunciating each word, "That you are in violation of the Interplanetary Agreement of 54 T.E., Article 17."

Kai tried his best to remain neutral under her accusation, but he couldn't keep a twitch from developing above his right eye. "I'm afraid I do not have the Interplanetary Agreement of 54 memorized in full. Perhaps you could enlighten me as to the article in question?"

She took a slow breath through flared nostrils. Even then-even with all the hatred and anger smeared across her face-she was stunning. "Article 17 states that no party of the agreement shall knowingly shelter or protect Lunar fugitives."

"Lunar fugitives?" Kai glanced at Torin, but his adviser's face was neutral. "Why would you think we're sheltering Lunar fugitives?"

"Because I've just seen one in your courtyard, along with those insolent protestors. She even had the audacity to wink at me! This is not to be tolerated."

Kai stood and folded his arms over his chest. "This is the first I've ever heard of Lunars in my country. Present company excluded, of course."

"Which leads me to believe that you've been turning a blind eye to the problem, just as your father did."

"How can I turn a blind eye to something I've never heard of?"

Torin cleared his throat. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, I can assure you we monitor all spacecrafts both coming to and leaving the Commonwealth. Though we can't deny the possibility of some Lunars being smuggled in under our radar, L can promise that we've done everything in our power to comply with the Interplanetary Agreement. Besides, even if a Lunar fugitive had come to reside in the Commonwealth, it seems unlikely they would choose to risk being discovered by coming to a protest when they knew you would be present. Perhaps you have been mistaken."

The queen's eyes smoldered. "I know my own when I see them, and right now there is one in these city walls." She pointed a finger toward the balcony. "I want her found and brought to me."

"Right," said Kai, "that'll be no problem in a city of two and a half million people. Let me just go dig out my special Lunar detector, and I'll get right on that."

Levana tilted her head back so she could peer down her nose at Kai, even though he was taller than she was. "You do not wish to try my patience with your sarcasm, young prince."

He flexed his jaw.

"If you are incapable of finding her, then I will have a regiment of my own guards dispersed to Earth, and _they_ will find her."

"That will not be necessary," said Torin. "We apologized for doubting you, Your Majesty, and are eager to fulfill our country's part of the agreement. Please allow us time to prepare for the coronation and the festival, and we will begin our search for the fugitive as soon as resources allow."

Levana narrowed her eyes at Kai. "Do you intend to always let your advisor make your decisions for you?"

"No," said Kai, allowing a cold smile. "Eventually, I'll have an empress for that."

Queen Levana's gaze softened, and Kai barely bit back his next words. _And it won't be you._

"Fine," said Levana, turning away and seating herself beside her thaumaturge. Ï will expect her, along with any other Lunar fugitives in the country, delivered to Luna one moon cycle after your coronation."

"Fine," said Kai, hoping that Levana would forget this conversation before the time came. Lunars in New Beijing-he'd never heard anything so absurd.

The anger vanished so completely from Levana's face that it seemed the past few minutes had been a dream. She crossed her legs, so that the slit in her sheer dress displayed a swath of milk-white skin. Kai, set his jaw and stared out the window, not knowing if he was going to blush or gag.

"Speaking of your coronation," said the queen, "I have brought you a gift."

"How thoughtful," he deadpanned.

"Yes. I wasn't sure if I should save it for the big night, but I've determined that it might give the wrong impression if I were to withhold it."

Unable to deny his piqued curiosity, Kai eyed the queen. "Is that so?"

She inclined her head, auburn curls cascading over her bosom, and extended her fingers toward her second thaumaturge, the man in the red coat. He produced a glass vial, no larger than Kai's pinkie finger, from his sleeve and placed it on Levana's palm.

"I want you to know," said Levana, "that I have a very keen interest in the welfare of the Commonwealth, and watching your struggle with the letumosis disease has been heartbreaking."

Kai dug his nails into his palms.

"You are probably not aware, but I have had a research team dedicated to studying the disease for some years now, and it appears that my scientists have finally discovered an antidote."

Blood rushed to Kai's head. "What?"

Levana pinched the vial between her thumb and forefinger and held it out to him. "This should be enough to cue one adult male," she said, then clicked her tongue. "Awful timing, isn't it?"

The world spun. Kai's finger's itched to reach out and strangle her until his entire arms were shaking.

"Go ahead," said Levana, a persistent warmth behind her gaze. "Take it."

Kai snatched the vial away from her. "How long have you had this?"

The queen's brow arched upward. "Why-it was only confirmed as a true antidote hours before my departure."

She was lying. She was not even trying to hide the fact that she was lying.

_Witch_

"Your Highness," Torin said quietly, placing a firm hand on Kai's shoulder. At first gentle, then squeezing-warning. Kai's pulse began to filter the fantasies of murder, but only barely.

Levana folded her hands in her lap. "That vial is your gift. I hope you will find it helpful, young prince. I believe it is in both of our interests to rid your planet of this disease. My scientists could have thousands of dosages prepared by the month's end. However, such an undertaking, coupled with six years' worth of work and resources, has put quite a strain on my own country, and so I'm sure you'll understand the need for compensation. _That_ will require further negotiations."

Kai's lungs constricted. "You would withhold this? When so many are dying?" It was a stupid question. She'd already withheld it long enough-what was it to her if more Earthens suffered in the meantime?

"You have much to learn about politics. I think you will soon discover that it is all about give and take, my dear handsome prince."

His pulse pounded against his temples. He knew his face had gone red, that his anger was playing right into her game, but he didn't care. How dare she use this as a political bargaining chip? How _dare_ she?

There was a vibration on Kai wrist. He was so angry that he ignored it, until he heard the ring tone on his wrist-com. His gaze immediately went to the device as he stood up. The eyes of both Levana and Torin narrowed at him.

"I, uh..." Kao struggled to find a proper excuse, the shift from the bottomless contempt he felt to a renewal of hope, and revenge, left is mind momentarily without traction. "I have an appointment to attend to, with...Dr. Erland. I should take this down to him immediately. If you'll excuse me."

He half expected Torin to chastise him for the sorry escape plan, but Torin seemed too relieved that the argument was over. Kai noticed he'd gone pale and wondered how hard it had been for Torin to dominate his own temper. "Of course. Perhaps Her Majesty would like a tour of the gardens?"

Kai glared at Queen Levana, filling the look with loathing, and clipped his heels together. "Thank you for your considerate gift," he said with a short bow.

"It was my pleasure, Your Highness."

Kai left the room as quickly as propriety allowed. When he had reached the main corridor, he released a guttural scream and slammed his fist into the nearest wall, then fell against it, pressing his forehead against the plaster.

When his breathing was manageable, he turned around, he turned around, suddenly wanting to cry-from anger, from desperation, from relief. Nainsi was back.

Well not really back, yet. The message was from Mr. Yan's shop, he knew by the ring tone. Viewing the message verified what Kai had hoped, Nainsi was fixed, all he had to do was go pick her up. He hope Torin was up to entertaining Levana for a few hours, whether he liked it or not, that is precisely what he'll be doing. Kai was going to get his tutor and the treasure she held.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Something Returned, Something Lost**

Kai had to force himself from running to Mr. Yan's Android Works, for all the excitement he felt. The call had come only an hour before and, lucky for Kai, his important appointments weren't until much later. The shop looked much the same as before, overstocked with work and Mr. Yan working with the rest of his employees. He saw Kai come and stood with a smile.

"Ah, Mr. Sari," using the named agreed on during the previous secured communication. "Your special order is in the back. Come with me."

Kai followed without hesitation, eager to get this over with. They arrived at a heavy steel door with a retinal scanner. Mr. Yan scanned his eyes, the door opened and he led Kai in with a wave of his hand. The room was dark at first, then the lights automatically turned on as they entered, revealing a couple stacks of boxes and Nainsi in the in a corner hoisted on a rack.

"Sorry for taking you back here, Your Highness, but I'm sure you wouldn't want anyone to overhear the details about your android. This secure room is where we keep all the valuable merchandise, feel free to speak, no one will overhear us." Kai felt a little relieved that they wouldn't have to whisper.

"So you fixed her?!" He asked with a little more enthusiasm than he had intended. Mr. Yan scratched his head, looking somewhat sheepish.

"Well, not me directly. You said that I could bring in whoever I needed on this, and I couldn't for the life of me figure your android out." He didn't look directly at Kai, this was more than simple _reverence_. Kai's heart started to sink as Mr. Yan continued with a uncomfortable voice. "You see Your Highness, when the boys and I couldn't make any head way with your android, we uh, let a part timer have a crack at it. She comes around every few days or so to help us out, and well she was the one who fixed it."

"But..." Kai motioned for him to continue.

"But she says that the fix may have, uh caused some memory loss in the android's hard drive." Kai felt his heart plummeted.

"How much memory loss?" Kai asked.

"Not sure, I checked the android myself, she was after all kind of vague. It looks like there was a small power surge that corrupted some memory files, nothing significant. But she insisted that there was a serious loss in the hard memory, and if she says so then I'd take her word for it." Mr. Yan finally looked Kai in the eyes. "Sure hope it wasn't anything you can't replace." In spite of himself, Kai gulped and forced a reply.

"No, it probably was some old tutor files. May I have a moment alone, to check I mean?" Mr. Yan walked back to the door.

"Sure thing Your Highness," his tone was apologetic. "Take as much time as you need. I'll just be outside." He exited the door and closed it. Kai turned back to Nainsi. He searched for her power switch and turned her on. Her sensor glowed as she booted up. She turned her head to Kai.

"Your Highness, it is good to see you." Her voice, the usual mellow business manner it had always been, soothed Kai somewhat. Like Mr. Yan had said she seemed perfectly fine.

"Hello Nainsi," He replied and crossed his fingers. "Nainsi what was last thing you remember?"

"You ordered me to search all secret files for the possibility of Princess Selene's survival of the nursery fire and her current probable location. " Nainsi coolly answered. "Shall I begin?" Kai's mouth dropped.

"Nainsi, you have been researching that information for months, are you saying you don't have any of it?" Everything was falling apart. Nainsi was silent for a moment as she searched her database.

"I am sorry Your highness, I have no record of the research. Updating date... Current date acquired! In fact my entire registry for the last three months, six days, and twelve hours has been entirely wiped." A swell of frustration and anger welled up in Kai and he smashed his fist against the steel wall with a cry. Nainsi started about restraint but Kai was too angry to listen for a moment. He needed to get home, they would be looking for him soon. He ordered her to follow, as he put on a face of minor disappointment. With a knock on the door, Mr. Yan came back.

"Is everything alright Your Highness?"

"Well enough, I suppose." Kai answered.

"Did you lose anything?" Mr. Yan asked.

"Yes, unfortunately something minor was lost, but don't worry about it." Kai waved his concerns aside. "I pay the bill now."

"Of course Your Highness." Mr. Yan pulled out a portable chip reader and stuck it out for Kai to scan his ID chip in his wrist. "She's usually such a miracle worker, got a special relationship with machines. Understands them in a way normal people can't. Not that fixing your android wasn't impressive by itself. It's just that it isn't her usual level of success; I expected more considering her tools." For some reason, Kai's curiosity was perked through the cloud of despair hanging over him about the mechanic that fixed Nainsi. It was the fact that only Nainsi's memory from the time she spent researching Princess Selene was missing. What were the odds? Kai had to meet this mechanic, he had to get some answers.

"Mr. Yan, this mechanic, she wouldn't happen to have a name?" He gave his voice a bit more of a commanding tone. Mr. Yan picked it up right away.

"Oh sure," he replied eagerly. "She goes by the name Cinder."

"Cinder what?" Kai asked impatiently.

"Well I don't know what her last name is," Yan seemed a little confused. "I guess I never asked her."

"Don't you have records?" Kai stamped down return surge of frustration.

"Not for her, she isn't technically an employee you see, she just come around sometimes to help out." Mr. Yan looked apologetically at Kai. "She isn't even paid."

"Not paid!" Kai was in disbelief. "How does she live then?"

"Now that is really weird part," confusing returned to Yan's voice. "As I understand it, her old man is loaded."

"Loaded, as in rich?!" Kai asked, incredulously.

"That is what I said, as strange as it may be that is the truth." Mr. Yan put his hand on his chest in a gesture swearing an oath. Kai was getting a lot of warning flags. Who was this girl who choose to work, getting her hands dirty when she could spend all her days getting a manicure. Was she behind Nainsi's lost memory? Did she cause Nainsi's break down in the first place? He would need to find her, his appointments could wait.

"Do you know where I could find this Cinder?"

"Me? No, Your Highness. I'm afraid I don't pay too much attention to that sort of thing. I'll ask some of my mechanics, they spend more time with her, they might know where she might be." He took a step, then stopped and turned back to Kai. "Uh, before you go looking for Cinder, there is something else you ought to know about her..."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: A New Friend**

Kai approached the R.U.R. restaurant. It was moderately upscale, though not too fancy. Following some distance behind him were four police officers, he had recruited them on the way. At first they were indignant, but shaped up with one swipe of Kai ID chip. Kai probably ruined his disguise, but he wasn't going to go near this girl without back up. Nainsi followed just to his right, he thought about leaving her behind for her own safety, but it occurred to him that her safety meant little without the information on Princess Selene. Nainsi would stay with him for moral support.

This was the restaurant at which, according to the mechanics at Mr. Yan's, Cinder usually ate. It had been confirmed when one of the police officers had sent a search over the net for recent activity by a 'Pyrenee, Cinder.' Lucky for Kai, Cinder was not a common name in New Beijing and this Pyrenee Cinder had been to this restaurant several times in the last four months. According to the network, she was there now.

The officers had their instructions to stand outside the restaurant, near the exits, but not to enter unless ordered to do so. They tried to object, but being a prince does have its advantages. Kai entered the restaurant, and took in the scene. The police info was right, this place, though nice enough for anyone, was catered in part to a less accepted clientele. Most of the surfaces were shiny metal, the soft music playing was obviously techno, and everywhere he saw prosthetic body parts.

It made feel a bit nervous being surrounded by some many of them. He never considered himself prejudiced against cyborgs, but there were more here than he had seen at any one time in his life, and it was making him feel uncomfortable. He focused on his task to distract himself, the police info said that Linh Cinder always sat at the same table. Kai walked toward the hostess, there was no other way of getting in without a scene.

"Hi." He said, hoping she wouldn't recognize him. "I'm here to meet a friend, Pyrenee, Cinder?" The hostess repeated the name twice as she scanned her list.

"Ah. Ms. Pyrenee! Yes, yes, she is expecting you." The hostess returned cheerfully. Kai was a little stunned.

"I am expected?" He asked.

"Oh, yes." Replied the hostess. "Ms. Pyrenee always asked us to prepare a second place at her table for a friend. I was beginning to doubt if you would ever show up! Right this way please." She smartly turned on her foot and walked to the stairs. Kai followed in short order shaking off the feeling that this was a trap. The hostess continued to make conversation as they ascended the stairs. "It is so nice that you decided to come, dear Ms. Pyrenee, such a sweet girl, has been sitting alone all this time. A treasure like her really deserves to have some company."

The hostess gave Kai a quick look over her shoulder that he didn't like. They arrived on the upper story of the restaurant and proceeded to a alcove jutting out. That particular location gave a good view of the plaza below. There sat an thin, unassuming young woman, with brown hair, slouching in her chair while staring out into the plaza. She wore an outfit of grey and lavender, that ,while nice, was not designer. Although not exactly plain, she was no great beauty either. The only odd thing in her appearance was the fact that on her left hand she wore a glove, but not on the other. She must have heard them coming because she turned to meet their eyes as they approached.

"Here we are! Your guest has arrived at last, Ms. Pyrenee." The hostess gestured for Kai to sit in the opposite chair, and winked at Pyrenee Cinder. Cinder mere returned a friendly smile. "Your waiter will be by in a moment to take your order sir."

"Thank you, Loretta." Cinder said. The hostess left, leaving Kai alone with Linh Cinder. There was an awkward moment of silence, that was finally broken by Cinder, when she said. "If you don't know what to order, the lobster bisque is very good. I had it on my first day." She made a visible effort to stay causal.

"Uh," Kai started, he picked up the menu and started to search. In a moment he had found the lobster bisque, it did look good, but out a growing sense of paranoia, he decided against it. "I think I'll go with the curry rice instead." Cinder looked at him thoughtfully.

"You don't trust me." She said without hesitation. Before he could reply, she continued. "Don't worry about it, I wouldn't trust me either if I were in your shoes. It's good to see your android up and about, nice to see you again Nainsi." Cinder turned and smiled at Nainsi.

"We've met before?" Nainsi asked. "I have no recorded of it."

"No you wouldn't, you were offline most of the time and when I did get you back on, you suffered a memory wipe." The waiter finally arrived, Kai gave him his order, and he left. Kai didn't have time to play around now, so he went with a more direct approach.

"I'd like to ask you about that memory wipe." Kai emphasized authority.

"Of course Your Highness," Cinder replied with a smile. Kai was only marginally surprised that she knew who he was, he half expected her to by now. "You would probably like to know what caused Nainsi's breakdown in the first place. Here I'll show you." Cinder reached into her pocket and pulled something in a small, clear plastic bag out. She placed it between them and Kai picked it up. It was some kind of computer chip, but unlike any he'd seen. It sparkled with a strange substance.

"A chip?" He asked.

"Yes, but not just any chip." Cinder answered. "It's a D-Comm. chip. You didn't have it installed did you?"

"No," Kai's mind began to race. D-Comm. chips were rarely use except for international conferencing. What was going on? "I didn't have it installed, you wouldn't know anything about it would you?" Cinder let out a low chuckle.

"Not at all Your Highness," She smiled. "Though I would have thought less of you if you didn't at least suspect me. Take the chip, you'll want your people to run their own tests. I'm afraid I believe your real culprit is someone far more ruthless than I. Not mention an incompetent cybernetic mechanic, the chip caused an interruption in Nainsi's power grid, classic rush job." Kai also began to suspect the origins of the chip. He let Nainsi scan it with her sensor, making a record for later, and then she took it and placed it in her storage compartment.

"Now you have explained Nainsi's breakdown," Kai turned back to Cinder. "How do you explain the memory loss?" Cinder gave him an embarrassed look.

"Well, that was actually _my_ doing." Kai noticed her tugging absentmindedly on her glove. "You see, I suspected that whoever installed that chip was trying to gain direct access to Nainsi's files, but due to the power interruption caused by the chip, there is no way to tell if they got anything. When she booted up, she was spouting information about Princess Selene. Since I suspected that you didn't want any of it getting out and I had to go, I decided to download those files and wipe her memory, if they didn't get the files before, they may be able to now. I hope you'll forgive my presumption..." She pulled out a data card and slid it across the table. "perhaps this will help."

Kai reached for it, fingers trembling. If this girl was telling him the truth, then the answer to his problems could be on this card. He wanted to leave right away, but there was something about this mysterious Cinder that made him stay, so he handed the data card to Nainsi as casually as possible.

"It's really interesting once you get in depth, if you ask me." Cinder added as Nainsi inserted the card into her storage compartment.

"You saw it?!" Kai cried in horror only to flinch as he attracted unwanted attention. He hunched his shoulders slightly in an involuntary desire to hide.

"Calm down Your Highness." Cinder's face bore a look of both guilt and concern. "Yes, I got a good look at it, but your secret is safe with me. I have as little love for the Lunar Queen as the next Earthen."

By this time, their waiter had returned with their orders. Kai's curry rice smelled as it should, but he let Nainsi's olfactory and chemical sensors scan it anyway. Cinder on the other hand had Lobster Bisque. She sat up straight, laid her napkin on her lap, and slipped her spoon with all the grace of a well bred lady. The sudden change amazed Kai. She must have seen some gawking expression on his face because after taking several dainty bites, she spoke to him.

"What is it?" Kai snapped back into the present. He quickly followed her example and started eating formally.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I just didn't think, I mean you are, after all a..." He trailed off in a mild stammer. She raised a eyebrow.

"I am a cyborg?" She finished his statement for him. Kai was become more unnerved by this girl by the second, most unlike a prince.

"Well I was going to say mechanic, but yes I was wondering about that too." He recovered. Cinder laughed.

"No, I don't suppose you meet many cyborg mechanics trained to dine properly, in front of royalty no less." She smiled warmly, in good humor. "We are a rare breed. You should see me at a ball, I can cut a rug better than most, but don't mention _The Robot_ or I'll have you thrown out of the restaurant. Prince or no prince." Her friendly candor was refreshing in a life of stuffy formality.

"I take it that what Mr. Yan said is true?" Kai clarified. "Your father is rich?"

"Oh very, very rich indeed." Cinder replied.

"Then why do you spend your time fiddling with machines?" Kai asked. "Being a privileged heiress, I'd assume that you'd be out shopping." Cinder started to laugh uncontrollably, when she got a hold of herself.

"Me?! Shopping?!" She snicker still. "No, your highness, shopping really isn't my forte, well at least not to _that_ degree. Once in a while I get the urge to go, but I prefer to pass my free time working with my hands. The tutors take up the rest."

"Tutors," Kai repeated knowingly. "Yes, I understand all too well. They great for preparation but I like to get out from time to time, to get away from it all." Cinder glanced at his hoody.

"Yes, walking around in the middle of summer with a hoody and no entourage would certainly be characteristic of a prince trying to escape reality on more than one level." She teased smoothly. "All well and good for you, I'm sure, though I'd rather work on a cybernetic arm, in a fairly cool shop. You know why it helps?"

"Why?" Kai asked.

"Because life seems so simple when you're fixing machines." Cinder explained, becoming slightly wistful as she raised her gloved hand to eye level and turned it back and forth. Like she was looking for some speck of dirt on it. "Since I'm part machine it's like communing with my other half, clears my head." Her focus on her hand was infectious and Kai found himself staring at it too. She looked back at Kai, catching his stare.

"Would like to see?" Cinder asked. She sounded serious, for Kai couldn't hear any amusement in her voice.

"Well, I uh," He stumbled again. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious, but I won't pry."

"Not at all," Cinder brushed aside his chivalry. "There was a time when I was more than a little self-conscious, but it doesn't bother me the way it used to. Here, let me show you." Cinder pinched and tugged at the tips of her glove until she got a good hold and slipped it off. Kai nearly flinched when a gleam of light hit him in the eye. Before him was a shiny titanium hand of the upmost advanced design, polished to perfection. It was, by itself, beautiful. If it had been on a android, he would have almost called it a work of art, but instead it clashed with the tan flesh attached to it in a way that made Kai's skin crawl for a moment.

"It's quite nice." Kai managed to sound indifferent to the unnatural arrangement. "You do the polishing yourself?"

"Yes, I suppose that is another difference between me and the typical teenage girl." Cinder said as she flexed the artificial fingers. "They polish finger and toe nails, I polish my hand. Don't worry, it's not like wires are contagious." She must have suspected Kai's initial revulsion. Then a thought occurred to him.

"I am curious, forgive me for being frank, but if your father is as rich as you say, why not a skin graft." Kai tenuously asked in spite of his etiquette upbringing. "You could certainly afford it."

"Well, I thought about it for a long time," was Cinder's reply. "In the end, I decided that I didn't have anything to hide, least of all to myself."

"But you wear a glove." Kai pointed out. A look of chagrin flashed on her face.

"The glove helps me pass unnoticed among the more bigoted, besides I like the feel of it. However, the real reason I keep my hand ungrafted to remind myself what I am and why I'm this way," Was the response. Kai turned his eyes from her face back to her artificial hand. With a sudden click, a screwdriver popped out of one to the extended digits and Kai almost cringed in surprise. He saw Cinder's mischievous smile. "Besides, skin grafting makes it a little hard to use my built in tool kit."

Kai couldn't help himself, he laughed. It had been the first genuine laugh he had had in a couple of weeks. It felt good to laugh again.

"I thought you could use a laugh," Cinder said, retracting the screwdriver. "The way you came in, I knew you were feeling the weight of the world. I heard about your father, I am so sorry."

Kai's humor immediately dampened with the mention of his father. Being orphaned by the blue fever and now Levana at the palace, it all terrified him. What would he do? How would he get on?

"And...well, you have my sympathy dealing with _her._" Cinder twisted her face in a pained look. "I mean, I only got a glimpse of her but I didn't like what I saw."

"You were at the palace? During the rally?" Kai asked.

"Yes, I kind of got drawn in with the surge after leaving Mr. Yan's shop." Cinder explained. "I saw the crowd and the signs and, well, I let curiosity get the best of me." She shivered. "I wish now that I hadn't gone."

"You saw her when she _calmed _the crowd." Kai summed up.

"Yes." Cinder replied.

"She is...potent." Kai stated. "What was it like? What did you see?"

"Well," Cinder paused as if trying to recall a faded memory. "When she first came out she appeared stern, I even say bitter. Then everything changed, not physically mind you, just we read her differently. The expression on her face was not frightening, but warm. Welcoming. Generous. I for one wanted her to be our queen, to guide and protect us."

"How long did it last?" Kai asked, intrigued by Cinder's point of view, similar but different from his own.

"That's hard to say." Was her reply. "I think the moment she left the balcony is when it began to wear off, but we were all 'dazed,' for lack of a better word, for the better part of half an hour. Only then did I at least feel like myself again."

"Do you remember anyone unusual?" Kai poked the question through his own reluctance, not thinking it would amount to anything and he could expose a potentially dangerous idea to an unguarded civilian. "I mean, did you notice anyone acting differently from the rest?"

"I'm afraid not." Cinder gave him a confused look. "The crowd was so...out of it that I if a bomb went off in the middle of the crowd that we wouldn't have batted an eye. Why do you ask?"

"Oh no reason at all. Just curious that's all." He tried to display his false sincerity with a smile. He must have failed judging from the questioning look on Cinder's face, but she didn't press him. He looked at his watch and realized the late hour.

"I should go." He said as he stood up. "Shouldn't have stayed out this late, my staff is probably wondering where I am."

"Don't mention it, I understand." Cinder replied. "Don't worry about the bill, it's on me, I won't charge royalty." Kai looked at their empty plates.

"Isn't the man the one who pays for the meal?" He inquired with a grin.

"Meal?!" Cinder feigned indignation. "I was talking about your android."

"Wait, Mr. Yan said you worked for free!" Kai countered. Cinder smiled.

"Mr. Yan is usually a good source of information, but you shouldn't believe everything he says." Cinder remarked with a subtle grin. She sobered and looked him in the eye. "Look, if you ever need someone to talk to, about Nainsi or anything else, you can look me up. I'll be in town all month."

"I'll consider it." Kai responded feeling a rise in assurance that Cinder was a woman of her word and trustworthy. "Thank you Cinder for everything. Goodbye," and he left.

Outside, the four officers still stood guard, becoming irritable by the long wait in the heat. Kai motioned them to follow as he exited the restaurant. They fell into line behind him and Nainsi. When they reached the hovers, Kai selected one to take him and Nainsi to the palace. He wasn't eager to get back, but Torin would only get worse the longer he delayed his return.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: The Excuse and Findings**

Torin was waiting for him, an unpleasant look in his eye. Kai wondered for a moment how much of Torin's obvious bad humor was due to his tardiness and how was due to having to deal with Levana all afternoon.

That surge of curiosity was brushed aside by a greater desire to delve into the recovered research from Cinder on Princess Selene. Nainsi had scanned the files into her memory, but at Kai's insistence, had not divulged its contents. He was afraid of what it might or might not contain, and then there was the fear of being over heard.

Silly wasn't it? He was afraid of Levana hearing about this out here, in the middle of the city, so he was waiting until he got to his rooms, not five minutes' walk from the tyrannical queen herself, to discover what Nainsi had found. He made an expression of sheepishness for his foolishness that he, nevertheless, hoped that Torin would think was for being late as he approached his advisor.

"Your late." said Torin. Kai shrugged.

"My appointment took longer than I expected. It happens." Kai replied. They entered the palace, walking side by side.

"Your 'appointment,' if I recall correctly, was in Dr. Erland's office over three hours ago." Torin's eyes narrowed. "Yet palace security informs me that you went to first to a 'Mr. Yan's Android Works' and then to a certain 'R.U.R. Café' where you dined with a girl."

"Yes I did." Kai trying to keep the irritation from his voice, replied. He really wanted to know what was in Nainsi's research without revealing it to Torin, as he knew what Torin would say. However, he didn't want Torin thinking he had goofed off all afternoon. "I was meeting with an prominent citizen."

"A prominent citizen?" Torin voice was unsure. "If that was the case, why didn't you tell me? It certainly wasn't in your schedule."

"Does everything I do have to be on a schedule?!" Kai snapped. He turned to Torin to see his advisor press his lips. "Look, after what Levana did today, the crowd and...everything else, I didn't want to face her again until I cleared my head." Despite having to come up with it on the spot, his lie was sounding pretty convincing.

"I understand completely, if not better than you." Torin's voice took on a slightly strained humor. "You left her with me after all, all afternoon. However, that doesn't explain why you went to an android repair shop and then the café."

Kai's mental wheels turned as fast as they could, trying to decide how much truth he could tell while still remaining obscure about his real intent. "I had to pick-up Nainsi, she was getting some work done. You remember when she broke down almost a week ago and the royal mechanics couldn't fix her? Well the shop called and I decided to kill two birds with one stone."

Torin nodded, seemly convinced. "And the café?"

"Oh that, I, uh," what should he say? "I was treated to lunch by a fellow patron of the shop. Yeah, we met when I brought Nainsi in and we hit it off. She was at the shop before I was, found out that I was going to pick up Nainsi and left a note inviting me for an early dinner."

"Then why the police escort you commandeered?" Torin asked. Kai was taken aback, he did not expect Torin to go in that deep. perhaps his advisor wasn't as taken in by the lie as Kai had thought.

"Well we hit it off, but I didn't think we hit it off that well." It was the best he could do at the moment, he knew he was the idol of young girls throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. Torin also knew it, having to deal with the fringe effects from time to time and should drop his inquiry, but if it ever got back to Cinder he hoped she'd forgive him. "I thought having back up would be wise, you know in case she got too..." He waved his hand in a circling motion for emphasis.

"I see," Torin said in a low voice. "Yes it was wise of you to bring the police, however is far more unwise for you to have accepted the invitation at all."

"What do you mean," Kai asked. "I thought you wanted me to have a 'whirlwind romance?'"

"I said 'perhaps,' Your Highness, and that was before Queen Levana arrived." Torin was shaking his head. "If she heard about this _rendezvous_ of yours it could cause unneeded friction during our negotiations."

Kai ground his teeth. Why did his whole life revolve around that woman. They weren't even married and yet she seemed to dictate his very conduct. That made him even more desirous to see Nainsi's findings, to find a way out. "I know Torin, but I will decide with whom I rendezvous, not Levana. I know you trying to keep me from making my job harder, but please let me this aspect of my life to myself, okay?"

It was Torin's turn to ground his teeth. "All right Your Highness, I will do as you bid. However, I will remind you that as the future emperor, your life is never entirely your own. As such, meeting with the young lady without proper chaperons at your age is unacceptable."

"There wasn't time to call in a proper chaperon," Countered Kai. "Besides, proper chaperons tend to attract a lot of attention and I didn't want a lot of people around."

"I understand Your Highness, but propriety must be observed, especially for a youth in your position. You have quite a following among the impressionable young ladies of the Commonwealth and rumors can undermine your rule as well as an invasion and in this case precipitate one. If the Lunar Queen feels she is being insulted she will be very difficult to pacify."

"I know, I know," Kai was closing in on his room and he wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible. "Fine, if I go to see the girl again, or any other, I'll go with an entourage that meets with your approval, alright."

"Alright," agreed Torin as they came to Kai's door. The doors opened as Kai's valets noticed his approach. "One more thing, Your Highness, Queen Levana has accepted the invitation to dinner and will be dining with us tomorrow night. I suggest you prepare yourself in effort to be on your best behavior."

Kai moaned audibly, such dinners were traditional and considered a staple part of Eastern Commonwealth hospitality. Offering it to Levana was expected, but he had hoped that the heartless queen had feeling enough to spare him that injustice or at least find it to her disliking in some way. No such luck. "Alright, I'll prepare myself."

"And we have the Earthen Union meeting in the morning, don't be late." Torin finished before he turned back down the hall. Kai shooed out his valets and guards until there was only Nainsi and himself in the room.

"Okay Nainsi, go ahead." Kai said. His android, removed the data card from her storage compartment and inserted it into her card reader. Her visual sensor blinked as she analyzed the data. He hoped it had what he was looking for, what Nainsi had to do to get it broke half a dozen international laws. At first it wasn't interesting, some details about the assassination attempt on Princess Selene, but then Nainsi came to the part of Selene's escape from Luna and he forced himself to focus.

"It is expected that a man by the name of Logan Tanner, a Lunar doctor who worked under the reign of Queen Channary, first brought Princess Selene to Earth approximately four months after her alleged death. Unfortunately, Tanner was admitted into Xu Ming Psychiatric Hospital on May 8, 125 T.E., and committed bioelectric-induced suicide on January 17th, 126 T.E. Though sources indicate that Princess Selene had been given to another keeper years before Tanner's death, I have thus far not been able to confirm the identity of that keeper.

"One suspect is an ex-military pilot from the European Federation, Wing Commander Michelle Benoit, who was part of the last envoy from Earth to Luna. There it is known that both Dr. Tanner and Commander Benoit met and socialized during the entire two week session. According to classified documents, Commander Benoit was accused of fraternization with the doctor and conduct unbecoming of her rank and duty. She did not deny the charges and settled for early retirement to avoid an official inquiry."

Kai considered this carefully as Nainsi went on. "Is Commander Benoit the most likely suspect?" Kai asked.

"Statistically yes, regarding human relationship patterns, Doctor Tanner's lack of other close acquaintances, and Commander Benoit's own psychological profile." Nainsi explained.

"Then we'll start with her. Where is she currently living?" Kai asked.

"Rieux, France." Nainsi answered. "A small farming community in the south of France."

"Okay..." It was out of his jurisdiction, but he'd deal with that later. "What is her recent activity."

"Searching..." Nainsi took a short moment to connect to the net. "I am afraid I have bad news Your Highness, it seems that Commander Benoit has disappeared."

Kai sputtered. Disappeared! What did that mean? What show he do? Cinder had told him that she was uncertain if the information Nainsi had carried before her shut down had been taken. Did that have something to do with Benoit's disappearance?

"What has been done to recover her?" He asked Nainsi as he got up to pace.

"Commander Benoit's granddaughter filed a missing person's report on August 13th, 126 T.E. with the Toulouse Law Enforcement Department. However I can retrieve no more details without compromising the system security of the Toulouse Police Department. Should I proceed?" Nainsi's question left heavy silence.

Kai pondered that question and others. Did he want to proceed? Nainsi had been compromised once and it could happen again, did he want to risk his search's discovery? If not Nainsi, who could he turn to find the answers he was looking for. The answer came, _Pyrenee_ _Cinder_.

She was already involved, she had access to everything and so Kai's search was no secret to her. If her father was rich, then he might have connections as vast as Kai's but with a lower profile. After all, when a foreign prince inquires about an obscure farmer, people take notice, but a business man could make any number of plausible claims of familiarity that Kai couldn't hope to make. The question was simple, did he trust her?

Kai searched himself, did he trust a girl he had only met today with the fate of the world, with his life? To his surprise he found a strength of emotion that defied his reason. He did trust her, enough at least, for there were no other options at hand. If he were to go to the intelligence agency, they probably could avoid drawing attention from the outside, but Torin would find out and shut it down.

_Torin_. Ever faith, steady Torin. He would give his life for Kai as he would have done for his father. Nevertheless, as much as Kai depended upon his advisor's realistic stance, it was times like this that Torin seemed too brittle, too taunt to survive the storm they were weathering. No, Kai had to see this through and Torin couldn't know about it, so that left only one good option: _Cinder_.

"No," he said. "No, I'll have someone else look into it. What, wait Nainsi, did you say that Commander Benoit had a granddaughter?"

"Affirmative, Your Highness." Nainsi responded. The wheels in his head were turning again, dare he ask.

"How... how old is this granddaughter?" He asked the question anyway.

"According to her birth certificate she is currently seventeen years, eleven months, and twenty-five days old."

"So she is almost eighteen." Kai summed up.

"Affirmative." Answered Nainsi. It was too old for Princess Selene who was supposed to be sixteen, but maybe that was the point. Eighteen wasn't that much older and how easy could it be for a sixteen year old to pass for an eighteen year old especially if everyone believe her to be two years older than she really was?

"Are there any irregularities in her records, something that doesn't match up to the mainstream?" He asked as Nainsi searched through the European Federation records.

"I have identified one large deviation in her records." Came Nainsi's answer. "There are no hospital records in her files."

That was strange. "No hospital records? Not even at birth?"

"That is correct Your Highness. Her medical records are all but non-existent." Nainsi affirmed.

"That is interesting, Nainsi. Is it possible that she could be the one we are looking for?" Kai asked.

"The numbers in her profile do not match up to the specifics of Princess Selene. However, taking into account for standard deviations from the human norm and possible exaggerations for the purpose of concealment I calculate the possibility to be 79.3%" Nainsi stated.

_Not a bad number_, Kai thought. _It could be better, but this is worth looking into._ _Now to cover my tracks._ He turned to his android.

"Download all the research about the Lunar Heir back onto the data card and wipe it from your memory, even the net searches. Thanks Nainsi, that will be all for tonight." His android finished her task and handed him the card. He would have to have her watched just in case, as for the research... He looked at the clock, it was getting late but any girl her age should still be up, the question was the propriety of making such a call.

Torin had forbidden any impulsive acts at correspondence without the entire red carpet exposure that Kai couldn't afford. So how was he to get this information and his intentions communicated to Cinder. He couldn't meet her out of nor call her to the palace without drawing unwanted attention and besides the red carpet deal would take too long, he need this done now! So how was he going to do it, he needed to think.

She was a cyborg and a mechanic, a great one, she had fixed Nainsi when everyone else failed. He thought that maybe he could complain about something to do with Nainsi and arrange for a house call, but quickly rejected the idea. First it would again look too suspicious and also that would contradict in no small part Kai's statement that Cinder was a patron of an android repair shop, not a mechanic.

He needed someone in the palace that had androids to 'breakdown' and he could associate with without raising suspicion. There was one particular person who fit that bill, Dr Erland. He had androids galore and Kai visited him all the time during his father's illness, surely Kai could persuade him to report a 'malfunction' in one of his androids and call for outside help without raising suspicion. Besides, he wanted to know if any progress had been made on the cure.

So the prince arose from his room and walked briskly to the medical wing of the palace.

The doctor was working late again. A promising omen regarding the cure Kai considered as he entered. As he suspected no one seemed to question him as he walked down the halls to the medical wing. He was only doing as he had always done and no one cared.

With a fairly familiar greeting he got the good doctor's attention. "Hello Doctor, up late again?"

Dr. Erland gave him an exaggerated sleepy smile. "Of course Your Highness, you gave me the work to keep me up did you not?" Both men shared a soft chuckle. Kai liked the older doctor, short and balding but with the kindest blue eyes Kai had ever seen. "I suppose you came for an update on the tests of Queen Levana's cure. I am sorry to disappoint you, Your Highness but as I told you earlier today that the tests won't be finished for thirty hours minimum."

"That's alright doctor, I actually came to see you to ask a favor." The doctor cocked his head just slightly to his right.

"A favor Your Highness?" Dr. Erland repeated. "Of course though I'm not sure what I can do for you that I'm not doing already."

"You use a lot of androids in the medical wing don't you?" Kai asked, pointing out one of the machine he was mentioning as it passed them by. The doctor give Kai a puzzled look.

"Yes of course, Your Highness," Dr. Erland replied with squinted eyes as if he understand Kai's meaning by bringing him into sharp focus. "Since they do not suffer from our afflictions, like letumosis, they can work among the inflected patients without fear of catching the disease."

"And do they break down?"

"Oh very rarely Your Highness," replied the doctor. "The palace only gets the best quality of medical equipment."

"But suppose one did break down and the royal mechanics were unable to repair it, would you go to an outside mechanic for help?"

"Well no, frankly, if that happened I'd assume that the unit wasn't worth fixing and simply dispose of it." Dr. Erland explained. "Then I'd order a replacement. Why do you ask?"

"Well you see I had a similar problem with my tutor android and, well, I met this girl who is a whiz with androids and she fixed up Nainsi when no one else could. I thought I might recommend her to you." Kai explained.

"That's all well and good for you, Your Highness, not wanting to lose a friend from childhood, but I haven't the sentimental attachment to my medical units to justify that much effort." Dr. Erland said.

"Well, that is the favor I wanted to ask of you." Kai licked his lips. "Could you have an android breakdown that requires some house call maintenance by my friend, you see I need to see her again as soon as possible," Kai cursed himself silently, he was beginning to sound like a love sick teenager, but else was he to do, he wasn't going to tell Dr. Erland the real reason why he wanted to see Cinder. He'll just hope that all this would be justified in the end and bear the consequences.

"I suppose I could, Your Highness, but if be so bold as to point out that if you want to see this girl so bad why not simply call her or have a secretary do so?" Dr. Erland's tone hinted at what Kai feared, yet accepted as necessary. "Why go to all this trouble?"

"Well I would, but Torin would insist on all the pomp and circumstance that being a prince requires for the sake of propriety, and I'd rather avoid that if I could. Please could you help me just this once." Kai held his breath while Dr. Erland mulled it over.

"Alright, Your Highness." Dr. Erland finally said. "I'll help you, on one condition, you don't do anything to place yourself in a compromising circumstance. Remember this is a medical research facility and I am doing very important work for the people of the Commonwealth, please understand that that comes first. Are we agreed?"

"Agreed." Kai affirmed as they shook hands. "I don't suppose you could make that call now."

Dr. Erland raised an eyebrow then checked his chronometer. "I suppose I could but I doubt the young lady will be willing to make the 'house call' so late. Could you stand to wait until morning, I'm sure she'll far more amiable then?"

"Yeah sure," Kai replied, he wanted to get this done as soon as possible, but the doctor was right it was late and he had a full day tomorrow. He might as well get some sleep.

"She must be quite a special young lady, Prince Kai, to go to all this trouble." Dr. Erland said over his shoulder as Kai turned to leave.

"Yes," _I hope she is._ He finished in his mind. She had offered to lend her ear to his problems, but would she accept a plea that would take her beyond words and into action that could put her life at risk? Something in him said yes, she would help, she could be trusted to pursue this avenue that could save them all.

Kai stepped lightly into the medical wing, trying not to attract attention or at least make it look casual. The data card gripped tightly in his hands, he dared not let it go for fear that he'd lose it and be caught. He spent a largely sleepless night with it under his bed out of the same fear, but he didn't feel tired, just anxious. He wanted to get the card to Cinder and then get out.

"Excuse me, nurse," he called to a young woman passing by. "I was coming to see Dr. Erland, do you know where he is?"

The nurse gave him an understanding look, as he had often asked this question during his daily visits while his father was here. She pointed down the hall and gave him a room number and he bade her goodbye. He had been informed when Cinder arrived more than a half hour ago and waiting to 'walk in' on her was difficult with the data card burning in his hands.

She had come later than expected and Kai had begun to fear that he'd have to either miss her or skip the Earthen Union meeting. Neither were acceptable options, but at last she came.

He spied the door number that the nurse had indicated and paused only a moment to take a deep breath and organize his thoughts. Opening it he encountered the scene he had expected. Cinder was behind an android, obviously doing some kind of diagnostic, and Dr. Erland was beside her talking and asking questions, though about what Kai didn't have a chance to learn as to what when he announced himself, they ceased to speak with each other.

"Hi Dr. Erland could I speak with Ms. Pyrenee alone for a minute?" He asked. The doctor smiled with a nod, but cast a curious look at Cinder before he exited. Kai walked over to Cinder who was still working on the android. When he reached her he had the first shock of his day, he saw a cable going from the android and connecting to her head!

She turned her head and smirked at his horror, then returned to stare at the android's back. "You know you shouldn't stare at a girl when she's being intimate with her machines, Your Highness." Before he could respond she detached the cable from her head and closed a small terminal at the base of her skull behind a patch of synthetic flesh, and stood to face him. "Well that was a waste of a perfectly good morning, I had to ditch my first lessons just to come here and tell Dr. Erland that his android is working just fine. That is unless it all was some pretense. So call me crazy but I have this funny feeling you arranged this."

Kai didn't answer, he was still grappling with the image of the cable in the base of her head. Cinder, catching on to the reason of his silence, rolled her eyes. "Honestly Prince Kai, if the sight of my cybernetic side disgusts you then I suggest you look away and get on with it."

Chastened, Kai swallowed his disgust and looked Cinder in the eyes. "I'm sorry, I just didn't know that you were more...artificial than I thought when we met yesterday. It caught me off guard, I do apologized."

"Apology accepted, Your Highness. You aren't the first to look at me that way, I'm used to it. Now what can I do for you?" Her manner was so easy that Kai almost felt it to be a guise, but his sense of urgency brushed aside his thoughts of shame and her indifference.

"It's this," He pulled out the data card. "I found something on the data card and I need you to look into it for me."

"Why?" Cinder replied. "You're the prince, don't you have an entire department or secret agency for that?"

"I do, but, you see, my advisor doesn't agree with pursuing the Lunar Heir as a viable solution to our problems with Levana. If I use my intelligence agency then it would only be a matter of time before he found out and put a stop to it." Kai explained.

"But you're the prince, surly he takes his orders from you not the other way around." Cinder pointed out.

"Yes, but Torin...Torin is a trusted advisor and long time family friend and he's usually right, but I feel that we really should be looking into this." Kai took a breath to settle his emotions. "I really have come to depend on him and I rather not hurt his feelings by blatantly disregarding his advice on the one subject we can't agree on."

"So instead you're going behind his back." Cinder stated bluntly. Before Kai could respond she continued. "Well I suppose as long as you feel bad about it you won't go too far. I like it when a monarch admits that he actually cares about another's feelings, it makes you seem more... human." She'd nudged him playfully in his gut and her last comment made Kai frown.

"Anyway," He changed the subject, "I need you to look into Nainsi's research, specifically about a Michelle Benoit, apparently she disappeared over a week ago."

"Not long after Nainsi 'broke down.' You think there could be a connection?" Cinder asked.

"I don't know, but I can't take any chances. She's the best lead I have to find out where Princess Selene is hiding. I need her alive or we could lose Selene, can you help me Cinder?"

Cinder stared into his eyes for a brief but intense moment, _probably weighing the risks of Levana's noted wrath_, Kai thought. "Of course I will, Kai." Her response was as quick as the silence. "And if I can't, my father most certainly can!"

"Can we trust your father?" Kai asked. A signal came on the netscreen in the room. Kai suspected that it was meant to inform him that the Earthen Union meeting was about to start. He ignored it.

"Can we trust my father?!" Cinder laughed. "My dear prince if I didn't think you were asking out of ignorance I'd be insulted, there has never been a more trustworthy man than my father. If it will put Levana in her place he'll want to be in the thick of it."

"Alright, I'll trust your assessment about your father, but remember this must be done with the upmost secrecy, Cinder. No one beyond you, myself, and your father must know anything, you understand."

"I understand Kai," She said in a tone, in contrast to the levity of before, was heavy with seriousness. "My father has many low profile...connections, he'll get what you need."

"Does any of his connections extend to the European Federation?" Kai mirthfully inquired as his rising confidence allowed him to assume the answer.

"Of course." Cinder responded seriousness lifting. "And anywhere else you'll need except Luna, I'm afraid you're on your own when it comes to the moon."

"Yeah well that I understand, but if this works out that will change." The signal came again and Kai checked his wrist chronometer, the meeting was about to start. "Oh, before I go, I'd like to mention one last thing. Michelle Benoit has a granddaughter with some oddities in her background. Nainsi predicted a high probability that she may be Selene, roughly the right age and no hospital records. Get her to someplace safe and look into her, she may not be Selene but if someone did take her grandmother then they may come back for her."

"Don't worry, Your Highness, my father and I will take care of everything." Cinder smiled warmly that gave Kai a small impulse of hope.

With a quick bow he excused himself from the room. "Now if you'll forgive my bad manners for not seeing you to the palace door, I'm late for a very important meeting."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Earthen Council**

Prince Kai arrived at the meeting seventeen minutes late. He was met with the disgruntled looks of Torin and four other government officials all sitting at a long table, along with an additional dozen faces peering out from their respective netscreens on the paneled wall before him. Ambassadors from every Earthen country-the United Kingdom, the European Federation, the Africa Union, the American Republic, and Australia. One queen, two prime ministers, one president, and one governor-general, three state representatives, and two province representatives. Text along the bottom of the screens helpfully displayed their names, titles, and country affiliations.

"How kind of the young prince to grace us with his presence," said Torin, as the officials around the table stood to welcome Kai.

Kai waved Torin's comment away. "I thought you could use my guidance."

On the wall of screens, Prime Minister Kamin of Africa grunted most unladylike. Everyone else remained silent.

Kai moved to take his regular seat when Torin stopped him and gestured at the chair at the end of the table. The emperor's chair. Jaw clenching, Kai switched seats. He looked up at the grid of faces-although each of the world leaders was thousands of miles away, staring into their own wall of netscreens, it felt as if their eyes were focused on him, disapproving.

He cleared his throat, trying not to fidget. "Is the conference link secure?" he asked, the question bringing back his concerns over the direct communication chip Cinder had found inside Nainsi. The screens in this room were equipped with D-COMMs so they could hold international meetings without fear of anyone listening in through the net. Had the chip inside Nainsi been put there by one of Levana's cronies for the same reason-secrecy, privacy? If so, what had she learned?

"Of course," said Torin. "The links have been verified for nearly twenty minutes, Your Highness. We were just discussing Earth's relationship with Luna when you deigned to join us."

Kai clasped his hands together. "Right. Now, is that the one where the dominatrix queen throws a tantrum and threatens war every time she doesn't get her way? That relationship?"

No one laughed. Torin's gaze focused on Kai. "Is this timing inconvenient for you, Your Highness?"

Kai cleared his throat. "I apologize. That was inappropriate." He met the faces of the Earth's leaders, watching him from thousands of miles away. He gripped his hands beneath the table, feel like a child sitting in on his father's meetings.

"Obviously," said President Vargas from America, "the relationship between Earth and Luna has been strained for many years, and the rule of Queen Levana has only made things worse. We can't put the blame on any one party, but the important thing is that we fix it, before-"

"Before she starts a war," finished a province representative from South America, "as the young prince already observed."

"But if the reports on the net are not mistaken," said Governor-General Williams of Australia, "communication between Earth and Luna has begun again. Can it be true that Levana is on Earth _now_? I could hardly believe the news when I heard it."

"Yes," said Torin, as all eyes switched to him. "The queen arrived yesterday afternoon, and her head thaumaturge, Sybil Mira, has been a guest in our court for just over a week."

"Has Levana informed you of her purpose for this visit?" said Prime Minister Kamin.

"She claims that she wants to reach a peace agreement."

One of the American Republic reps guffawed. "I'll believe it when I see it."

President Vargas ignored the comment. "Quite suspicious timing, isn't it? So soon after..." He didn't finish. No one looked at Kai.

"We agree," said Torin, "but we could not refuse the request when it came."

"It does seem she was always more apt to discuss an alliance with the Commonwealth than any of us," said President Vargas, "but her requests were always unsatisfactory. Have those requests changed?"

Kai watched from the corner of his eye as Torin's chest slowly expanded. "No," he said. "To our knowledge, Her Majesty's requests have not changed. Her aim continues to be a marriage alliance with the Commonwealth's emperor."

Although the faces in the room and on the screens tried to remain static, the discomfort ratcheted around them. Kai gripped his hands so tight that crescent moons were left from his fingernails. He had always despised diplomacy of these meetings. Everyone thinking the same thing, no one brave enough to say it.

And of course they would all be sympathetic to Kai's fate, and yet glad that it wasn't any of them. They would be angry that Queen Levana could infiltrate any Earthen country with her dictatorship, and yet certain that it would be an improvement over infiltrating Earth with her army.

"The Commonwealth's position," continued Torin, "has also not changed."

This _did _seem to jolt the crowd.

"You won't marry her?" said Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom, the wrinkles on her forehead deepening.

Kai squared his shoulders in defense. "My father was firm in his decision to avoid such an alliance, and I believe his reasons are as applicable today as they were last week, or last year, or ten years ago. I must consider what is best for my country."

"Have you told this to Levana?"

"I have not lied to her."

"And what will be her next move?" said Prime Minister Bromstad of Europe, a fair-haired man with kind eyes.

"What else?" said Kai. "She intends to add more bargaining chips to the pile until we cave."

Stares clashed through the screens. Torin's lips had gone white, his eyes urging Kai to tread lightly. Kai could guess that Torin hadn't intended to mention the antidote, at least until they could plan their next move-but letumosis was a pandemic that affected all of them. They at least had a right to know that an antidote might exist. Assuming Levana hadn't lied to him.

Kai took in a deep breath, splaying his palms out on the table. "Levana claims to have found a cure for letumosis."

The netscreens seemed to crackle with surprise, though the gathered leaders were all too stunned to speak.

"She brought a single a dosage with her, and I've passed it off to our research team. We won't know if it's a true antidote until they've had a chance to study it. If it _is_ real, then we need to find out if we can replicate it."

"And if we can't replicate it?"

Kai looked at the Australian governor-general. He was older than Kai's father had been by many years. They were all so much older than him. "I don't know," he said. "But I will do what has to be done for the _Commonwealth_." He enunciated Commonwealth very carefully. True, they were an alliance six countries and a single planet strong. But they all had their own loyalties, and he would not forget his.

"Even then," said Torin, "we can yet hope to make her see reason and convince her to sign the Treaty of Bremen without a marriage alliance."

"She will refuse," said a state representative from the EF. "We mustn't fool ourselves. She is as stubborn-"

"Of course, the Commonwealth's imperial family is not the only royal bloodline she could harbor hopes of marrying into," said the African state representative. He said this knowing that his own country could not be a choice, as it was not a monarchy. Any marriage bond would be too superficial, too transient. He continued, "I think we should explore all possible options so that we can be sure to have an offer prepared, no matter what Levana decides to do next. An offer that we, as a group, feel would best benefit the citizenry of our entire planet."

Kai had followed the group's attention to Queen Camilla of the UK, who had an unmarried son in his early thirties, closer to Levana's age than Kai was. He noted how passive the queen was trying to appear and had to keep himself from looking smug. It felt nice to turn the tables.

And yet, politically, there was no doubt that Kai was the best option in Queen Levana's eyes. The prince from the United Kingdom was the youngest of three siblings and may never become king. Kai, on the other hand, would be coronated next week.

"What if she refuses anyone else?" said Queen Camilla, lifting an eyebrow that had seen too many youth surgeries over the years. When no one responded to the question, she continued. "I don't mean to raise undue alarm, but have you considered that her reason for coming to Earth might be to secure this alliance through force? Perhaps she intends to brainwash the young prince into marrying her."

Kai's stomach flipped. He could see his unease mirrored in the faces of the other diplomats. Torin had discussed this with him, so he knew the answer, but someone asked, "Could she do that?" he didn't recall who.

When no one was quick to answer, he turned to Torin.

It took far, far too long for Torin to shake his head, looking frighteningly uncertain. Was he reconsidering his previous conclusion? "No," he said. "Perhaps, in theory, but no. In order to keep up the ruse, she could never leave your side. As soon as you were no longer under her influence, you could prove that the marriage wasn't legitimate. She wouldn't risk that."

"You mean we _hope_ she wouldn't risk it," said Kai, not feeling very comforted after seeing Torin's early hesitation.

"What about Levana's daughter, Princess Winter?" said President Vargas. "Has there been any discussion of her?"

"Stepdaughter," said Torin. "And what should we discuss in regards to the Lunar princess?"

"Why can't we form a marriage alliance with her?" said Queen Camilla. "She can't be any worse than Levana."

Torin folded his hands atop the table. "Princess Winter was of another mother and her father was a mere palace guard. She has no royal blood."

"But Luna might still honor a marriage alliance through her," said Kai. "Wouldn't they?"

Torin sighed, looking like he wished Kai had kept his mouth shut. Kai noticed he had not mentioned the Doge's own marriage offer to any of the other leaders. He probably hadn't changed his mind about it since they had spoken. The impulse to mention it himself was cut off by the look on Torin's face. Kai decided to trust Torin's judgment and let it pass.

"Politically, perhaps, but it does not change the fact that Queen Levana is in the difficult position of needing to marry and produce an heir who will continue the bloodline. I do not think she will agree to marry off her stepdaughter so long as _she_ requires a suitable marriage arrangement." Torin explained.

"And there is no hope," said the African prime minister, "that the Lunars will ever accept Princess Winter as a queen?"

"Only if you can convince them to give up their superstitions," said Torin, "and we all know how deeply those are ingrained in their culture. Otherwise they will always insist on an heir of the royal bloodline."

"And what if Levana never has an Heir? What will they do then?"

Kai slid his gaze to his adviser and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure," Torin answered. "I'm sure the royal family has plenty of distant cousins who would be eager to stake their claim to the throne."

"So if Levana must marry," said the South American representative, "and she will marry only a Commonwealth emperor, and the Commonwealth emperor refuses to marry _her_, what then? We are at a stalemate."

"Perhaps," said Governor-General Williams, "she will make good on her threats."

Torin shook his head. "If her desire were to start a war, she's had plenty of opportunities."

"It seems clear," shot back the governor-general, "that her desire is to be empress. But we don't know she has planned if you won't-"

"Actually, we do have an idea," said President Vargas, his voice heavy. "I'm afraid we no longer need to speculate if Levana intends to start a war against Earth. Our sources lead me to believe that war is not only likely but imminent."

An uneasy rustle shifted through the room.

"If our theories are correct," said President Vargas, "Levana is planning to move against within the next six months."

Kai leaned forward, fidgeting with the collar of his shirt. "What theories?"

"It seems Queen Levana is building an army."

Confusion swept through the room.

"Certainly the moon has had an army for some time," said Prime Minister Bromstad. "It is hardly news, nor is it controversial. We cannot request that they forgo the keeping of an army entirely, much as we like to."

"This is not the moon's normal army-soldiers and thaumaturges," said President Vargas, "nor is it like any army we keep on Earth. Here are some photographs that our orbiting operatives were able to obtain."

The president's image faded and was replaced with a fuzzy picture, as if taken from very far away. Satellite photos taken without sunlight. Nevertheless, in the grainy picture, Kai could make out rows and rows of men standing. He squinted, and another picture flickered onto the screen, closer up, showing the backs of four of the men from above, but, Kai noticed with a shock, these were _not_ men. Their shoulders were too wide, too hunched. Their barely discernible profiles too stretched, Their backs were covered in what appeared to be fur.

Another picture came on the screen. It showed a half dozen of the creatures from the front, their faces a cross between man and beast. Their noses and jaws protruded awkwardly from their heads, their lips twisted into perpetual grimaces. White spots erupted from their mouths-Kai could not see them clearly, could not tell for sure, but they gave him the distinct impression of fangs.

"What are these creatures?" asked Queen Camilla.

"Mutants," answered President Vargas. "We believe they are genetically engineered Lunars. This is a project that we assume has been going on for many decades. We have estimated six hundred of them in this holding alone, but we suspect there are more, likely in the network of lava tubes beneath the moon's surface. There could be thousands-tens of thousands for all we know."

"And do they possess magic?" It was a hesitant question posed by the Canadian province rep.

The picture disappeared, showing the American president again. "We do not know. We have not been able to see them train or do anything other than stand in formation and march in and out of the caverns."

"They are Lunar," said Queen Camilla. "If they are not dead, then they possess magic."

"We have no proof that they kill their ungifted infants," interrupted Torin. "And as exciting as it is to look at these pictures and create wild speculations, we must keep in mind that Queen Levana has not yet attacked Earth, and we have no evidence that these creatures are intended for such an attack."

"What else could they be intended for?" said Governor-General Williams.

"Manual labor?" said Torin, daring anyone to deny the possibility. The governor-general sniffed but said nothing. "We should, of course, be prepared should a war come to pass. But in the meantime, our priority needs to be forming an alliance with Luna, not alienating it with paranoia and distrust."

"No," said Kai, popping his chin on his fist. "I think this is the perfect time for paranoia and distrust."

Torin scowled. "Your Highness."

"It seems you've all missed the very obvious point of those pictures."

President Vargas puffed out his chest. "What do you mean?"

"You say they've probably been building this army for decades? Perfecting whatever science they've used to create these...creatures?"

"So it would seem."

"Then why have we only noticed it now?" He waved his hand at the screen where the images had been. "Hundreds of them, standing out in the open as if they have nothing better to do. _Waiting_ to have their pictures taken." He folded his arms on top of the table, watching as uncertain expressions turned toward him. "Queen Levana wanted us to see her spook army. She wanted us to take notice."

"You think she's trying to threaten us?" said Prime Minister Kamin.

Kai shut his eyes, seeing the rows of beasts fresh in his mind. "No. I think she's trying to threaten me."

"So do you believe that her threats are real or bluffs?" asked a state representative that hadn't spoken before. Kai opened his eyes to face the representative.

"I don't really know, but if I had to guess I'd go with a real, genuine threats." He answered.

"Well then if she is prepared to carry out her threats and war is unavoidable then we have another avenue of our own to explore, one I'm surprised that you and your advisor neglected to mention Prince Kai." The represented stated accusingly. "Is it true that the Grand Doge of the Belt Confederacy offered you a marriage alliance of his own?" Torin straightened in his seat.

"Yes, that is true," Kai admitted. "He first brought the offer to my father, before he died, and my father relayed it to me."

"And why have you neglected to inform the rest of us?" asked the representative. "Is it because you hold the Doge responsible for the death of your father?"

Kai blood started to boil, first to the accusatory tone of the representative and second because of lingering anger of the day in question. "I did hold him responsible at the time, but I'm not sure what my feelings on the subject are now."

"Excuse me," Torin interrupted. "But how did you come by this information, I was not aware the Grand Doge was actively announcing his desires to anyone but the Commonwealth's royal family?"

"He is not, my source is a Belter merchant with considerable influence in the Doge's administration and a close friend of mine. We were having breakfast together this morning when the conversation turned to the shopping of my native city. He mentioned a desire to begin searching for a rather special and expensive wedding gift. When I asked who was getting married, he causally informs me of the Doge's proposal." The representative explained. "As you can imagine I was stunned not to have heard of it before hand, but thought you would have been so kind as to mention this offer to the rest of us so we could better take stock of all our options. Yet you did not. Why?"

"I did not inform you about the Doge's offer because my advisor has already explained to me why it would avail us no more than without it." Kai answered.

"That," replied Prime Minister Kamin shooting a glare at Torin, "is not up to him to decide."

"Yes," agreed President Vargas, "that was overstepping his bounds."

"Wait a minute," said Queen Camille turning to the state representative that had spoken. "Are you saying that the Grand Doge has a daughter?"

"Yes." Came the representative's response.

"Well I didn't know that." The queen declared. "I didn't even know the man was married!"

"Nor did I," stated Torin. "I doubt anyone beyond the Belt did, but that matters little to us."

"How so?" Questioned Governor-General Williams. Kai watched Torin take in a deep breath.

"It matters little because there is no weight to the Grand Doge's offer. He brings nothing that could benefit us in exchange for his daughter's hand."

"Nothing? Mr. Konn, the Confederacy has a fleet larger than any of ours." the President point out.

"Which is spread out over the entire Belt maintaining order and the security of the Asteroid States. Mobilizing even a part of their fleet for an expedition to Earth will take months, that's assuming if the individual asteroids would cooperate long enough."

"I'm afraid he's right," said Prime Minister Bromstad. "It's a miracle that the Doge was able to maintain the alliance at all and my latest reports suggest rising unrest in the Belt. There appears to be a growing separatist movement that could cause a civil war."

"What is the likelihood of that happening?" asked one of the provincial representatives.

"Low for right now," admitted Prime Minister Bromstad, "the movement is disorganized among several groups but they have been growing over the last few years and should they combine they would pose a serious threat to Confederacy's integrity."

"Do any of these groups have influence in the Confederate navy?" Asked Queen Camille.

"Yes, but as of yet their goals are not cohesive and so the combined influence is diffuse."

"How did you come across your information?" Asked the American president.

"_We_ have a few 'friends' in the Belt, left over from the days before the Grand Doge," The Prime Minister stated. "They keep us apprised of significant developments."

"If they are from the days before the Grand Doge, they must be old." The Governor-General pointed out with a slight smile coming to his face. "How reliable are they after spending so much time _in role_?"

There was a momentary flash of irritation that crossed Prime Minister Bromstad face before he responded. "My predecessors found nothing but truth in their reports and neither do I."

"Truth which regrettably concurs with my assessment," Torin interrupted. "The Confederacy cannot help us, and even if it could, marrying Prince Kai to the daughter of the Grand Doge would only secure their aid for as long as_ he_ was in office. Unlike the Commonwealth and the United Kingdom, Confederacy is not a monarchy, but a crown republic and the Grand Doge's reign will not continue to his daughter unless she is elected in his stead."

"And they Belters will not take kindly to rule from Earth," commented Prime Minister Kamin, "which is what would happen if the girl was elected and married Prince Kai. She'd live on Earth as per custom and that could give the separatist groups the ammunition to start their civil war. I see your point Mr. Konn."

"What is even the chance that she could elected anyway, Prime Minister?" Asked Queen Camille. "What do your _friends _say?"

"Well, the general opinion of her father is still favorable, but deteriorating do to what many Belters consider a stagnating administration. That sense of stagnation will transmit to his daughter's reputation unless she shows some vitality and familiarity with the people, which she hasn't nor is likely to."

"Why not?" Asked Prime Minister Kamin.

"Because, although everyone knows the young lady exists, no one has ever seen her beyond the Doge's inner circle." The European leader explained. "She's called The Dame of Vesta because so far as we can tell no one in the general population even knows her name."

"Doesn't know her name?!" Queen Camille cried. "Prince Kai, did the Grand Doge tell you his daughter's name?"

"Well I didn't actually speak to the Doge about it, my father did, but I'm afraid that he didn't mention the daughter's name, only that he wanted me to court her." He answered.

"This is very strange." Queen Camille commented as she turn to Prime Minister Bromstad. "Why the secrecy?"

"I don't know, I can tell you that there was an incident involving the Doge's father and wife-"

"Wait a minute, you knew he was married?!" President Vargas accused.

"I know that at one time he was, fifty years ago," Prime Minister Bromstad waved the accusation away. "but as I was saying there was a mysterious incident a decade before he became the Doge of Vesta which my sources have been unable to obtain details. Though I can safely say that it involved the deaths of his father and wife. Since then the Doge has maintained a shroud of secrecy around his personal affairs. His daughter only came into the record about three and a half years ago, when he recognized her existence and named her heiress."

"Recognized her existence? Are you saying she was illegitimate?" Torin asked.

"As best as I can tell, yes. At the official age of sixteen, she is far too young to be a child of his wife, and due to the secrecy around him, he could have had any number of mistresses without anyone knowing."

"Sixteen, isn't that a little young to get married?" Governor-General Williams inquired.

"Technically yes, but Belters have made protracted engagements like this before." The state representative replied.

"That still doesn't address the problem of Belter resistance to rule from Earth." Prime Minister Kamin pointed out.

"Wait a minute, there could be a way around all that." The state representative considered out loud. "If the Belters won't accept rule from Earth and Prince Kai can't rule from the belt, then the answer is simple. The prince could disengage himself from the Doge's daughter and "court" Levana to buy us time. While Queen Camille's youngest son can marry the Doge's daughter and secure their aid."

"My son will never marry an illegitimate child!" Queen Camille resolutely declared. Her adherence to the moral traditions of the United Kingdom was almost legendary.

"Even if means saving your kingdom as well as ours!" The representative shot back.

"All of this is very interesting," Torin interrupted. "But it is still useless to us, the girl is not going to take her father's place as the sovereign ruler of the Confederacy."

"She wouldn't have to, the Doge named her sole heir and he is among the richest men in the Solar System with a numerous fleet all his own of merchant ships." The state representative countered.

"So?" Challenged a provincial representative.

"So...don't you read history? His father was a noted Vestal admiral and when Vesta suffered what should have been a decisive defeat in a war with Juno, the Doge's father repurposed and armed 100 of his own ships in less than a month and secured favorable peace terms. A fleet like that would go a long way in a war with Luna."

"A long way yes, but hardly all the way." Torin again interrupted the zealous representative. "Look representative Jones, as I said before, this is all very interesting, but we don't have the time to make use of it, that's assuming we can at all."

"If it's useless, then why would the Grand Doge offer it in the first place?!" Representative Jones cried in frustration.

"I can think of only one possible reason,... a desperate gamble to ward off Queen Levana's aggression, which when you take everything into account doesn't speak well of his current influence." The advisor sighed and Kai could tell the meeting had been far from as productive as Torin hoped. "I suggest that we adjourn for the day and consider what has been revealed and pick-up again tomorrow. Agreed?"

The other leaders voiced their agreement and the screens went blank as their operators left. Torin rose and put his hand on Kai's shoulder. He looked years older with those weary eyes, if anyone needed this break, it was Torin. However Kai knew he wouldn't get that relief, dinner with Levana was only hours away, and if Kai's gut told him anything it would far from a pleasant evening.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: The Dinner Test**

The uncomfortable silence of the dining hall was broken only by the clatter of chopsticks against porcelain and the shuffling of servants feet. Only human servers were present-a concession to Levana's avid distrust of androids. She claimed it went against her people's morals, and the laws of nature, to bestow fake emotions and thoughts on man-made machines.

Kai knew, however, that she just didn't like androids because she couldn't brainwash them.

Sitting opposite the queen, Kai found himself struggling not to look at her-it was both a temptation and a repellent, and both feelings irritated him. Torin was beside him, and Levana was flanked by Sybil and the second thaumaturge. The two Lunar guards stood against the walls. Kai wondered if they ever ate.

The emperor's seat at the end of the table would remain empty until the coronation. He did not want to look at that empty chair, either.

Levana made a grand, flourishing gesture, drawing everyone's attention to her, though it resulted in nothing more than taking a sip of tea. Her lips curled as she set the cup down, her gaze meeting Kai's. "Sybil tells me your little festival is an annual occurrence," she said, the cadence of her voice swooning like a lullaby.

"Yes," Kai said, lifting a shrimp wonton between his chopsticks. "It falls on the ninth full moon of each year."

"Ah, how lovely for you to base your holidays on the cycles of my planet."

Kai wanted scoff at the word _planet_ but sucked it back down into his throat.

"It is a celebration of the end of the Fourth World War," said Torin.

Levana clucked her tongue. "That is the problem with so many little countries on a single globe. So many wars."

Something splattered on Kai's plate. He looked down to see that the wonton's filing had been squeezed from its wrapper. "Perhaps we should be glad the war happened, then, and forced the countries to conglomerate as they did."

"I hardly think it harmed the well-being of the citizenry." said Levana.

Kai's pulse throbbed in his ears. Millions had died in World War IV; whole cultures had been devastated, dozens of cities reduced to rubble-including the original Beijing. Not to mention the countless natural resources that had been destroyed through nuclear and chemical warfare. Yes, he was quite sure some harm had come to the citizenry's well-being.

"More tea, Your Highness?" said Torin, startling Kai. He realized he'd been gripping his chopsticks like a weapon.

Grumbling inwardly, he sat back, allowing a servant to refill his cup.

"We can give credit to the war for bringing about the Treaty of Bremen," said Torin, "which has thus far been beneficial to all countries in the Earthen Union. We hope, of course, to see your signature on the document someday soon, Your Majesty."

The queen's lips tightened against her teeth. "Indeed. The good of the treatise is thoroughly discussed in your history books. And yet, I cannot help but feel that Luna-a single country ruled by a single government-provides an even more ideal arrangement. One that is fair and beneficial to all inhabitants."

"Assuming that the ruling government _is_ fair," said Kai. "Or the only example of such."

A flash of contempt set the queen's jaw but almost instantly faded into a serene smile. "Which of course Luna has, and is, as is evidenced by hundreds of years without a single uprising-not even the smallest protest, unlike even the Belt trash. _Our_ history books attest to that."

_Shocking_. Kai would have grumbled if he felt Torin's glower upon him.

"It is a testament that every ruler strives for," said Torin.

The servants came forward and whisked away the first course, replacing it with silver tureens.

"My queen is as eager to forge a bond between Luna and Earth as you are," said Sybil. "It is a shame that an agreement could not be reached under the rule of your father, but we are hopeful that you, your Highness, will be more accepting of our terms. Especially in face of worthless distractions by delusional old men."

Kai again strove to loosen his grip, lest he accidentally leap across the table and jab a chopstick into the witch's eye. They knew about the Doge's offer, it didn't surprise him but how it aggravated him! Even if it was a worthless distraction, it was far more preferable to Kai's sensibilities than Levana's demands.

His father had tried every compromise imaginable to forge an alliance with Luna, except the one thing he could not agree to. The one thing he was sure would signal the end of freedom for his people. A marriage to Queen Levana.

But nobody objected to Sybil's comment. Not even himself. He couldn't get the image from today's meeting out of his head. The Lunar mutations, the army of beast-like creatures. Waiting.

It chilled him not only because of what he'd seen, but of what he could imagine he hadn't seen. If he were right, then Levana had put her army out for show-as a threat. But he knew she wouldn't give her hand away so easily.

So what else was she hiding?

And did he dare risk finding out?

Marriage. War. Marriage. _War_.

The servants simultaneously lifted the silver domes from the trays, releasing clouds of steam scented of garlic and sesame oil.

Kai mumbled a thank-you to the servant over his shoulder, but the words were interrupted by a gasp from the queen. She shoved her chair away from the table. The legs screeched across the floor.

Startled, Kai followed the queen's gaze to her plate. Instead of thinly cut pork tenderloins and rice noodles, the plate harbored a small hand mirror set into a shimmering silver-white frame.

_"How dare you?"_ Levana turned blazing eyes on the servant who had delivered the meal-a middle-aged woman with fine gray hair. The servant stumbled back, her eyes round as the mirror.

Levana stood so fast her chair tumbled to the floor behind her. A chorus of chair legs creaked on the floor as everyone stood.

"Speak, you disgusting Earthen! How dare you insult me?"

"The servant tossed her head, mute.

"Your Majesty-" Kai started.

"Sybil!"

"My Queen."

"This human has shown disrespect. It is not to be tolerated."

"Your Majesty!" said Torin. "Please, calm yourself. We do not know that this woman is to blame. We mustn't jump to conclusions."

"then she must be made an example of," said Sybil, quite coolly, "and the true perpetrator can thus suffer the guilt, which is often a far worse punishment."

"That is _not_ how our system works," said Torin. His face had flushed red. "While you reside in the Commonwealth, you will abide by our laws."

"I will not follow your laws so long as they permit disobedience to flourish," said Levana. "Sybil!"

Sybil rounded the queen's fallen chair. The servant backed away, bowing, muttering apologies and begging for mercy and not knowing what she said.

"Stop it! Leave her alone!" said Kai, rushing toward the servant.

Sybil snatched a knife from the service table and held its handle out toward the woman. The woman took the knife, crying, pleading as she did so.

Kai's jaw dropped. He was both disgusted and mesmerized as the servant turned the blade toward herself, clutching the handle with both hands.

Sybil's face remained complacent.

The servant's hands trembled and slowly lifted the knife until the glistening edge was poised at the corner of her eye. "No," she whimpered. _"Please."_

Kai's entire body shook as he realized what Sybil meant to force the woman into. Heart racing, he squared his shoulders. _"I did it!"_

The room stilled, silenced, but for the woman's bumbling sobs.

Everyone turned to Kai. The queen, Torin, the servant with the tiny inflamed scratch beside her eyelid, the knife still in her hand.

"I did it," he repeated. He looked at Sybil, who watched him without expression, and then at Queen Levana.

The queen fisted both hands at her sides. her dark gaze seethed. Her complexion shimmered. In a single, tilting moment, she was hideous, with her ragged breath and sneering coral lips.

Kai ran his dry tongue across the roof of his mouth. "I ordered the kitchen to put the mirror on your tray." He pressed his arms against his sides to keep them from shaking. "It was meant as a friendly joke. I understand now that it was an ignorant decision, and a joke that would not cross cultural lines, A I can only apologize and ask for your forgiveness." He leveled his gaze at Levana. "But if forgiveness is not in your power, then at least direct your anger toward me and not the servant, who would have had no idea that the mirror was there. The punishment should be all mine."

He had thought the tension bad during the appetizer course, but now he was choking on it.

Levana's breathing returned to normal as her eyes weighed her options. She did not believe him-it was a lie, and everyone in the room knew it. But he had confessed.

She opened her fists, stretching her fingers out against the material of her dress. "Release the servant."

The energy dispersed. Kai felt his ears pop as if the air pressure in the room had changed.

The knife clattered to the floor and the servant stumbled back, crashing into a wall. Her shaking hands flattened over her eyes, her face, her head.

"Thank you for your honesty, Your Highness," Levana said, her tone flat and hollow. "Your apology is accepted."

The crying woman was led away from the dining room. Torin reached across the table, picked up the silver dome, and covered the mirror. "Bring our most honored quest her entrée."

"That won't be necessary," said Levana. "I have quite lost my appetite."

"Your Majesty-" said Torin.

"I will retire to my quarters," said the queen. She was still battling Kai across the table, her eyes cold and calculating, and he unable to look away. "I have learned something valuable about you tonight, young prince. I hope you have learned something about me, as well."

"That you prefer to rule through fear rather than justice? So sorry, Your Majesty, I'm afraid I already knew that about you."

"No, indeed. I hope you noticed that I am capable of choosing my battles." Her lips curved, her beauty returning full force. "If that's what it takes to win the war."

She departed from the room like a feather, as if nothing at all had happened, her entourage falling into step behind her. Only when the guards' clopping feet had drifted down the halls did Kai slump into the nearest seat, head hanging over his knees. His stomach was heaving. Every nerve shook.

He heard a chair being set upright and Torin settle beside him with a Heavy sigh. "We should find out who was really at fault for the mirror. If it was someone on the staff, they should be suspended for so long as the queen is staying at the palace."

Kai lifted his head far enough to peer over the table's edge, seeing the towering silver dome in front of the queen's abandon chair. Inhaling a breath, he reached forward and uncovered the mirror, then grasped its slender handle. It was smooth as glass but sparkled like diamonds when he twisted it in the dim lighting. He had only seen material like that twice before. On a spaceship and a D-COMM chip.

Holding the mirror's face toward Torin, he shook his head, disgusted. "Mystery solved," he said, turning the mirror around so that his advisor could see the strange Lunar rune carved into the back of the frame.

Torin's eyes widened. "She was testing you."

Kai let the mirror tip back onto the table. He rubbed his brow with outstretched fingers, still shaking.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Park Adventure**

Kai spent half the night tossing in his bed before his exhausted mind crossed the threshold into unconsciousness. Before he retired to his bedchamber he made another stop by Dr. Erland's office to request another meeting with Cinder as soon as possible. To his surprise the doctor didn't resist the idea, even seemed eager to see the girl mechanic again, and suggested a meeting outside the palace.

This reverse from the reluctance Dr. Erland showed before was surprising, especially when the doctor offered to chaperone the meeting himself. When the prince asked the doctor replied that he enjoyed Cinder easy manner and quick wit, something that to which Kai agreed.

Kai had to clear a part of his schedule for late afternoon to make the rendezvous, since Torin would inquire about the reason for the change and Kai hoped he would accept the excuse that Dr. Erland was preparing. Seeing Torin simply wishing the outing to go well indicated that Dr. Erland's excuse was accepted, although the doctor wouldn't elaborate. They climbed into an unmarked hover, one of several kept by the palace for low profile excursions, and were soon lost in the traffic.

Soon Kai realized that they were not headed in the direction of the R.U.R. restaurant. He realized he had no idea where they were headed.

"To the Memorial Plaza Park Your Highness," The doctor replied to Kai's question, "since it is a little late for lunch and too early for dinner I thought it would better suit you and the young lady to mingle in a public setting. And because the warm weather has driven all but the most determined inside it should be fairly private as well." The smile that he gave Kai made the prince squirm. Kai didn't know which was worse, that he was risking discovery by venturing out so unprepared like this or the fact that the doctor actually believed that he was romantically interested in the cybernetic mechanic.

"Uh Doctor, I have a confession to make." Kai started. "I really don't have that kind of interest in Cinder, if you know what I mean?"

"No?!" The Doctor gasped as his face took on a serious expression. "And you lead me to believe that you had an infatuation with the girl. Well it's about time, Your Highness. I was beginning to wonder how long you'd try to keep the ruse up."

"Wait a minute!" Kai said. "You knew?!"

"Of course Your Highness. I may be an old scientist who spends his days working away in laboratories, but even I was young once. You don't have that look of a man run away in passion to the point where he would defy social protocol." The doctor explained. "Besides she's a cyborg."

"What does that have to do with anything?!" Kai cried, though he was surprised by the force of his own outrage.

"Because," Dr. Erland raised an eyebrow, "I know that cyborgs are not your type. Especially ones as extensive as Ms. Pyrenee. Ah, here we are." The hover landed in the parking lot and they got out. Dr. Erland gestured to one of the walkways that went into a grove of trees.

"How did you know that I don't have a thing for cyborgs?" Kai ask sarcastically.

"Experience and intuition Your Highness, most young men your age wouldn't be interested in half machine women, besides I got a good look at your reaction to the cable in Ms. Pyrenee's head." The revelation made Kai flinch as he remembered the incident from yesterday, then he realized something.

"Wait Dr. Erland, were you eavesdropping?" He asked. If the doctor heard what he had asked Cinder to do, it could all be the end of this most delicate scheme, his only way out.

"I wouldn't call it eavesdropping Your Highness, after all you were in my laboratory with a young lady unaccompanied, I had to chaperone you in some way."

"How much did you hear?" Kai asked.

"Just about everything," The doctor answered. Kai squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment. What was he going to say to the doctor? What would the doctor say? Then he realized that the doctor had known about his scheme when he agreed to accompany Kai and when he had arranged the meeting. The question wasn't what was the doctor going to say but why did he help Kai. Could he actually agree with Kai's aim?

"Doctor you know what I am trying to do, right?"

"Yes, I think I do." The doctor replied.

"And you're not go to try to talk me out of it?" Kai asked.

"No, I don't think I will." Dr. Erland.

"Why?" The doctor stopped and turned to Kai, the prince stopped to face him.

"I believe that if your most trusted advisor cannot dissuade you from searching out the Lost Lunar Heir, then neither could I." Replied Dr. Erland. "So if I can't dissuade you, I'll have to do what I can to keep you out of trouble." They resumed their walk in the grove until they reached the prearranged spot. They stood only a moment before Kai caught sight of Cinder approaching them with a companion in tow.

This companion was the most peculiar woman he had ever seen. At first, Kai didn't know how to describe her, but then his mind caught up to the sight. She was...pink, all shades of pink! Every article of clothing and even her hair were pink or at least colors similar to pink. The shifting tones of pink allowed Kai to observe the woman's outfit in detail; high-heeled shoes, short shirt trimmed with lace, and a frilly blouse, all expensive designer in appearance to his limited educated eye. Shimmering gold jewelry adorned the young lady's wrists, ears, but a classic string of pearls hung from her neck.

Once he got through the color and the clothes, the woman herself came into view. She was a beauty, despite the unneeded, heavy make-up that covered her face, with perfect features. Her smile, accompanied by a high, childish laugh, communicated her carefree and perky attitude. The way she carried herself, half mince, half strut, completed the message of the stereotypical spoiled rich girl. So different from Cinder, who wore no make-up, a plain set of blue trousers and a brown blouse.

_An old friend of Cinder's I guess,_ Kai concluded,_ but why did she bring such crème puff here? She can't possibly have forgotten how important this is!_ He began to panic once he realized what would happen when the diva recognized him, and took a step back to leave. He stopped himself as his need to know overcame the fear of being discovered. He would wait and face this unseen complication, having faith that Cinder could handle the woman.

"Hey," Cinder greeted them in a casual tone, as if meeting friends for a regular stroll, while ignoring an awkward joke from the 'Lady Pink.' "Hope I wasn't too late, just get here?"

"Yeah," Kai replied. Cinder turned to the doctor with a slight expression of surprise.

"Dr. Erland?" Cinder said. "This is a pleasant surprise, I didn't know that the duties to Royal Medical Director extended to babysitting the prince while out of the palace."

"No, of course not my dear, merely tagging along to enjoy your company." Was the doctor's reply. During this exchange between the Cinder and Dr. Erland, Kai noticed out of the corner of his eye the other young woman crept closer to him and just stared at him with wide blue eyes. The way she seemed to titter nervously as if waiting for him to notice her pushed Kai into facing this dreaded introduction.

"Yes?" Was all he could say. Her face lit up like a Christmas tree and began to bounce up and down in a undignified, fan girl manner.

"Your him aren't you?!" The young lady squealed in unfettered delight. "You're Prince Kai! I can't believe I'm actually meeting you face to face, do you know what this means?! Of course you know what this means, you're the prince!" Her voice seemed to carry and Kai glanced around to see if anyone was near enough to listen. Lucky for them, no one was in sight, though he had to admit that the foliage and trees were dense enough in some places as to restrict his view to less than 5 meters. The girl grabbed his hand with surprising strength and he was lurched forward as she pulled it toward her. "I can't believe I am actually holding the hand of the Prince! It's dream come true! Such a pink day! Cinder look! I didn't think it possible but, he's even better looking in person, can I kiss you?!"

Lucky for Kai, Cinder came to his rescue. "Slow down Iko," she said calmly, while prying the young woman's fingers from Kai's hand and nudging her back gently, "you're bound to scare him off before I tell him what he wants to know. You just met after all and haven't even introduced yourself." The pink girl, Iko blushed and became even pinker, if that was possible.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Your Highness," Iko apologized with a sheepish grin and a curtsy. "You must think I'm a terrible person, coming onto you like that, I tend to forget myself sometimes and you being a prince and all. I'm Iko, and you, you're Prince Kai!"

"Yes I am," replied Kai with a formal bow, which seemed to make Iko recover her former perkiness. "A pleasure to meet you Miss..."

"Pyrenee, Your Highness! Now that we've been introduced, can I kiss you?" Kai took an involuntary step back. He'd seen some crazy obsessed girls before but this one was fast taking the cake. Again Cinder came to his rescue.

"Iko, I think that is a little too much to expect from a new acquaintance," she said as she pushed Iko in the direction of Dr. Erland. "Why don't you introduce yourself to the doctor?" She followed up with a whisper in Iko's ear. Iko complied and struck up a conversation with the older man which seemed to keep her occupied. "I'm sorry about that, my cousin is well known in the family for her enthusiasm."

"I can understand that, but why did you bring her?" Kai asked.

"My father said I had to, he didn't like the idea of a young lady going to meet a young man in such a secluded spot alone." She replied.

"Yes, but did it have to be her?" He asked with a little more annoyance.

"Afraid so, Your Highness, why? Are you scared that she will overhear our conversation and publish it to all her followers on the net?" She gave him a knowing smirk.

"Well yes, I mean look at her!" He said gesturing to Iko's clothes. "I'd be surprised if half the city didn't know if she was here with you right now and that the other would know tomorrow."

"Relax Your Highness. Iko may attract more attention than is good for her, but trust me as I tell this, when it comes to keeping secrets she is all but infallible." The serious expression on her face communicated her truthfulness regarding Iko, so Kai let it go. Cinder moved on. "Now, I suppose you want an update on Michelle Benoit. I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that my father's connections haven't been able to trace her whereabouts, they are certain she is still in France somewhere, but tracking her will take time. The good news is Scarlet Benoit, her granddaughter is safe."

"That is good." Kai said. "And did you check her out?"

"You mean is she the Lost Lunar Heir? I'm afraid the answer is no," Cinder replied. "However, my father's men did discover she has Lunar ancestry, apparently Michelle Benoit did more than fly diplomats back and forth while she was on Luna. It certainly explains the 'oddities in her background.'"

"She's part Lunar?" Kai asked, his curiosity was perked despite the disappointment that the girl Scarlet was not Selene.

"Yes," affirmed Cinder, "one quarter Lunar."

"Does she possess glamour?" He inquired.

"Apparently not," Cinder answered, "according to expert opinion, her genetic potential for glamour is quite low." He nodded at the comment.

"Does she know anything?" Kai asked, getting impatient. "About where Princess Selene is or where she may have gone?"

"No," came Cinder's disappointing response. "She has no clue as to whether her grandmother sheltered the Princess or not. Nor does she know where the Princess might be."

"So were there any problems getting her out?" Kai asked.

"Yes, a lot of problems actually, but all caused by Miss. Benoit!" Cinder chuckled and shook her head. "Since speed was of the essence, my father's men decided for a direct extraction, however their charge didn't take kindly to their methods. Can you believe she pulled a gun on my father's men, and demanded that they surrender and tell her where her grandmother was?! Ha! My father says that she actually managed to hit one of the guys sent to get her to safety and the language she was cursing with... well I won't get into that."

"She sounds hot-tempered." Kai commented.

"You could say that again, right now my father is more worried about her escaping than someone taking her."

"So no one was inquiring about her as far as your father can tell?"

"Actually yes," Cinder said, "My father says that his men picked-up some local chatter regarding her and are tracking the man who was asking the questions."

"That was fast." Kai commented, surprised at the speed of success.

"Well my father only employs the best." Cinder agreed with a smile. "I'll be sure and pass on you compliment."

"Do you know where she is being held?" Kai asked, a desire to see this girl, whose missing grandmother was his only link to a way out of his nightmare, rising in his bosom.

"Yes, at a family chateau in the Andorran mountains. She's quite safe there, it's largely inaccessible and my father has taken extra measures to beef up security to keep anyone from getting close."

"Good, good." He didn't know what else to say and felt like a fool. "May I see her?" Cinder looked a little uneasy.

"Of course Your Highness, it's just that Miss Benoit is still settling in and part of the security requires keeping a low profile for a while." Cinder explained. "As soon as things die down you can see her. We're also bringing in her father, so if you want to question him as well he'll be made available to you."

Kai sighed, and thanked Cinder for her father's efforts. They didn't lead to the results he wanted yet, but they were far more than he could have done by himself. They began to whine down their conversation when Kai heard rustling in the brush on the opposite side of Cinder. The four turned automatically to face the sound.

A man, a large man, rose from the bush. His clothes were just a bit ragged and his face was covered in stubble and streaked with dirt. In his eyes intensely looked over them all, focusing on Cinder for a moment and switching to Iko. A knife came out "Give us all what you've got now!" He demanded in a harsh yet low voice.

Kai realized that while they had been distracted by this man, two others had sneaked behind them, knives in their hands as well. His first instinct was to step between the nearest assailant and the women, a noble but futile gesture as his better judgment caught up to the situation. The demand was repeated from more than one thieves this time and so Kai began to empty his pockets and the others followed suit. He didn't have much, just a few tidbits in his pockets, Dr. Erland and the girls had more, especially Iko, whom had to hand over her jewelry.

Once the thieves gathered and pocked all Kai and company had dropped they turned to Cinder. "You still got something in your glove! Give it here!"

Kai looked at Cinder and saw that she was still wearing her characteristic glove over her cybernetic left hand. He could also tell that she didn't have anything in her glove, and the fact that their thieves claimed there was meant they were high on something. In fact, the whole situation seemed wrong, they were being robbed in a fairly public place during daylight. Daylight crimes were rare, even with the down turn in the economy, so the only conceivable reason for this crime was that the thieves were high on drugs. That made them even more dangerous especially since they were still lucid enough to execute an ambush.

_Where is my security?!_ Kai thought as one of the thieves grabbed Cinder by the arm and pulled her away from the group.

"Give it or I'll cut you!" He repeated his demand waving his knife wildly in the air but getting closer to Cinder.

"It's just a glove, take it easy you're starting to hurt me!" Cinder said. She tried to reach for the glove to pull it off, but the way the thief was yanking her, it proved a difficult task. Finally his knife did cut her across the arm, and then a pink storm hit. He didn't realize what he was seeing until it was over, but when his memory caught up to the present, he stared at Iko in horror. She was grasping two wickedly curved knives of her own, karambits from southeast Asia Kai recognized, and standing over the bodies of the thieves.

He remembered the girl he thought as a cream puff leaping to Cinder's side and with a single blow sent the man reeling to the ground and his knife, still covered in Cinder's blood, slipped from his hand. That was when the knives appeared in her hands as if by magic and whirled onto the other two thieves. They tried to fight back and even displayed surprising skill, however they were no match for Iko. She tumbled in midair above their heads, avoiding their first attacks, and landed behind them. With scientific efficiency, Iko proceeded to parried their blows, disarm their knives, and then to precisely cut the tendons in the ankles and elbows, leaving them helpless.

Bleeding from multiple wounds and groaning in pain, it was clear they were still alive but badly wounded. Kai then heard the first thief try to get up, still dazed from the blow that Iko had dealt him. He reached for the knife but Cinder blocked his way. Still on the ground, he moved to sweep her legs from under her, but yelped in pain as he made contact with her left leg. Cinder smiled at the would be mugger and pointed to her thigh.

"Metal leg," She announced proudly, loud enough over the screams of the other muggers for Kai to hear. "Iko you missed this one." She admonished her cousin.

"I thought you might want to dispatch him yourself," Iko replied, "he did cut you after all."

"You're right," Cinder conceded, looking down at her still bleeding wound. A sharp kick with her left foot knocked the man unconscious. Dr. Erland approached Cinder, hand out to take her bleeding arm. She waved him off. "Don't worry about it doctor, help Iko with those two over there, Kai can handle this."

The doctor obeyed, but when Cinder's back was turned, he quietly snatched the knife with her blood on it.

"Kai get over here and help me," Cinder chastised the dazed prince. He jumped to help her with her arm. Seeing that they had no bandages, he torn the bottom of his hoody. As he wrapped the strip of cloth around the cut, he was relieved to see that the bleeding was slowing. "Thanks, Your Highness. I don't know who your security chief is, but I'd fire him." Kai agreed.

"We should call the police," he stated, though not looking forward to the probable media storm that was to come as a result.

"Already done," Cinder answered. Kai looked at her, he hadn't seen her pull out a portscreen. She pointed to her head. "Being a cyborg does have its advantages."

"Yes, but it's nice to know that you're still human enough to bleed." He affirmed in morbid humor, surprised by his own ability to cope with recent events. Then again evil incarnate was living under his roof so this should be a little matter.

"Yeah, it is but I would prefer not to be reminded of my human mortality too often. After all, like you, I only have so much to spare." She replied, unbothered. They heard crying. They both turned to Iko standing nearby with a pink handkerchief trying rub something off her blouse. "Oh no!" Sighed Cinder, walking over to her cousin and putting her arm around Iko. Kai followed.

"Mmmmy out...outfit," the young lady wailed. She rubbed even harder at what Kai now could see were drying blood stains. He noticed her knives were gone but a quick check over her failed to reveal their location.

"I'm so sorry Iko." Cinder consoled.

"I I bought it just fo...for today! The ddday that I was to mmmeeeet the pprince! It wwwas supposed tttoo bee a pppink ddday! Why dddddid there hhhave tooo beee bbbblood tttooday! Oooh I should hhhave worn red! Then no one would be able to see!" Iko looked at Kai mournfully. "You must think me as some kind of monster!"

This was as pathetic and strange a sight Kai had ever seen. Not ten minutes before he saw this very person take down armed men nearly twice her size without batting an eye, now she was crying over blood stains on a blouse and skirt. But as weird a sight as it was Kai felt a surge of pity rise in his heart. "It's okay Iko," He placed his hand on her shoulder and felt her jump at the contact. "You probably saved my life, so it's okay that you may not look your best right at this moment."

Iko smile at his kind words, but then her face became worried again. She looked at Cinder. "Stars! What about your father!"

"My father, right." Cinder rolled her eyes and sigh in the face of some terrible inevitability. "Oh...he won't be happy. Too much of a ruckus and too much attention."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Kai asked. He didn't want to lose Cinder, not when some real progress was being made because of his overzealousness and lack of precaution. "An official pardon perhaps?"

Cinder smiled. "I'm afraid not, Your Highness, but you shouldn't worried too much. It really was out of our hands, so I expect the most my father will do is ship Iko and I out to see our step-family a day ahead of schedule." That was exactly what he didn't want to hear. Now she could be out of reach.

"Where exactly is that?" He asked holding his breath.

"A town just outside the capital, Garan-Tai. I'm sure you've heard of it." He had, it was an exclusive township for the wealthy in the Commonwealth established four years ago by a rich widow. Far enough from the capital for privacy and peace but close enough not to be out of the loop. This could still work, as it happened he was suppose to make a special appearance at the town's annual Letumosis Research Fundraiser at the end of the week. A couple days before his coronation. He let her know.

"Maybe I could visit you?" He asked carefully. "That's if it would be too much trouble. I mean we still got a lot to do, finding you know who."

"Oh you're talking about the Princess Selene!" Iko realized, a bit too loudly. Kai had almost forgotten she was even there.

"Iko can keep a secret." Cinder reminded, she must have seen something in Kai's expression. "Can't you Iko?" Iko nodded excitedly at Cinder then Kai. The sirens of the police and a ambulance arrived. "Ah here comes the cavalry, we're saved! Why don't you go meet them Iko and distract them." Iko obeyed and made her way to the officers exiting their hover cruisers.

"How did she do that?" Kai asked when Iko exited his field of vision and her astounding performance replayed in his mind. Cinder cast a quick glance at her cousin.

"Oh Iko, well there is more to her than meets the eye." She shrugged.

"I gathered that when she jumped over those muggers heads and disarmed them like a kung fu master from legend. And then the sobbing over blood on her clothes." He gave her an inquisitive tilt from his head as if asking with words was sufficient for his curiosity.

"Iko doesn't like when we talk about it." Was Cinder's response.

"She's a cyborg too?" He asked.

"After a fashion, and let's leave it at that." And Cinder closed the subject before the first officer reach them. "Oh, and one more thing, since you are coming to the Fundraiser, I would like to ask a favor of you. Would it be too much if I made a special introduction for you while you're there?"

"Sure," Kai agreed, "Is your father going to be there?" Cinder laughed.

"No, no, my father rarely makes public appearances," she explained. "The introduction I was going to make was my sister, Peony. She's kind of a big fan of yours, and well kind of promised her that I would introduce her. I promise she won't too much of a pest, but if you don't come she'll never speak to me again." Cinder's eyes were filled with genuine pleading and before Kai knew what he was doing, he had agreed.

The police officers were quite unprepared to be taking a statement from their would be emperor, but with his encouragement they took it anyway. They didn't ask many questions and Kai guessed that Iko had been very descriptive in her statement. After the paramedics worked on the three muggers they tried to help Cinder but she refused stated she was fine. Then she and Iko disappeared into the darkening park .

Torin was waiting for him. It seemed that no matter where he went, eventually Torin would be waiting him somewhere. It irritated Kai, like bad news that would never go away, always hanging over him, smothering joy. It wasn't fair to Torin, the man only brought what there was to bring, but how Kai wish his advisor would bring good news. _I wonder how Torin feels to have become the unofficial royal Harbinger of Doom?_

"Your Highness," The advisor grimaced as Kai entered the doors from the garage. "I hear you have had quite an adventure in the park."

"I guess you could say that." Replied Kai. "My security seemed to be lax, would you look into that for me."

"Of course Your Highness, I should never have let the doctor take you on that extrusion, I honestly don't know how he managed to convince me. However Your Highness, that does not excuse you." The last words were laced with the venom of frustration. Kai, who hadn't looked at his advisor the whole way down the hall, stole a glance at the man's features. They were hard, unrelenting, angry, desperate.

"I suppose the Lunar Queen knows." Kai sighed.

"That would be an understatement, Your Highness. I have spent the last half hour trying to avert war over an insult. How could you go to see that girl when I told you not to?!" The advisor demanded. Then Kai's own resolve hardened. He stopped and faced Torin.

"Because I am the Prince, Torin, and you are my advisor. You may give me advice but it is up to me to take it, never forget it. If you are unsatisfied with me you are free to leave." Torin was taken aback by this declaration. Perhaps he had become so use to having his advice taken that he felt entitled to give orders. Well that illusion was shattered, and Torin stamped his pride and bowed to his ruler.

As they continued their way into the palace to Kai's apartments, Kai asked Torin to fill him in on Queen Levana's 'protests.' Torin ran through a long list of complaints and ended with a summary. "In short I am afraid she has been demanding to know why the future emperor of the Commonwealth is shirking his duties to a visiting sovereign of another nation to play with a tramp in the park."

Kai smiled and shook his head. He would be in for it tomorrow when he faced the Lunar Queen, but he was too tired and desensitized from the adventure in the park to worry. "What does she expect me to do, wait on her hand and foot?"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Charity Affair**

The days passed slowly. With Cinder out of contact, Kai had no idea how the search for Michelle Benoit, and by extension Princess Selene, was progressing. Queen Levana's presence didn't help either, her posturing getting even worse, if that was possible. For someone coming from such a promiscuous family, she took his one, nonromantic rendezvous in the park with great offense. Luckily a good night's rest and consultation with Torin the following morning got Kai back into a more diplomatic groove and thus far he had avoid 'offending' the Lunar Queen even further, sort of.

Now, still two days away from his coronation, he found himself sitting in a hover flying to a relatively minor function of his Commonwealth upper society yet he was as nervous as if the crown were about to be placed on his head. How had Cinder and her father fared in their search for Michelle Benoit, for Princess Selene? Would he have a way out or was he condemned to marry the monstrous Levana? The answer could be only minutes away as he saw the landing approach.

He probably wouldn't see Cinder right away, as there were going to be hundreds of people to greet him. When they would have a moment alone to speak he wasn't sure, but he had spent the whole journey from the palace thinking up excuses just for that purpose. He just had to talk to Cinder before the end of the Fundraiser, because he was going to dine with the event's hostess Linh Adri and her family before heading back to the palace and making the final preparations for his coronation.

Linh Adri, he had read a little on her in preparation for his appearance when he could take time from memorizing his little speech. She was a relative newcomer to high society, but had a fair pedigree and was as rich as they came. She was the founder and current administrator of the Township of Garan-Tai, name for her late husband and victim of Letumosis. Over a year after his death she had purchased a burned out, Letumosis infected village and raised a state of the art retreat for the wealthy in its place.

She began hosting this event three years prior and it was due to her efforts that much funding for Letumosis research and accommodations for the infected were gained. Also since his own father had just perished from the plague as well as his mother, thus Kai was obligated to come and speak.

Cinder said she was going to visit her step-family at Garan-Tai, whoever they were, that meant they were either rich or well connected. He just didn't know who this family was and searches for connections with Cinder came up negative. Step-family? Perhaps her father had divorced recently and the ex-wife no longer took his name, but then why wouldn't that come up in his searches?

He was tempted to have someone look into it more but he didn't feel it worth the risk. Although the enigma surrounding Cinder and her father caused Kai concern when he had time to think, there something about the girl that made him feel he could trust her. What was it about her that made him feel so? Was it her easy, genuine manner? Her ability to get what he needed done? To risk life and limb were he seemed to only hide? Whatever it was, he wished he had time to learn more about the girl he was staking so much on, but there was no time, he had arrived.

The crowd pressed close to his hover. It wasn't a big crowd, at least compared to the capital, nor was it unruly, for it was made up of the wealthy or the professional press. For only they were allowed at this event and they knew how behave in public, at least most of the time. There were a few flashes and some questions asked but security managed to escort Kai to the pre-event exercises without incident.

Then he saw her, just for a moment, before she vanished among the numerous attendees of the Event. He didn't recognized her until after she had disappeared, she looked so different. Her hair done up, not in the sloppy ponytail, dressed in an expensive day-party suit of a light blue instead of her casual clothes. Somehow he couldn't imagine her that way, but there she was, at least he knew for certain she was here.

Finally he was introduced to the hostess of the Fundraiser, Mrs. Linh Adri. A stately older woman beginning to show signs of middle age, she was nevertheless an imposing figure. "Your Highness," she curtsied, "Welcome to my humble charity event, your honor us with your presence. Please accept my condolences on the loss of your father, the whole of the Commonwealth feels his absence." So stiff and appropriate a greeting.

"Thank you Mrs. Linh." He made an equally stiff and appropriate response. "I'm sure my father would appreciate the work you continue for the victims of Letumosis, I know I do." She smiled and gave him another curtsy. Dr. Erland stepped into Kai field of vision. "Oh, allow me to introduce you to the man who makes excellent use of your funds, Dr. Erland, Head of Letumosis Research."

Linh Adri gave the doctor another curtsy. She straightened. "It is good to make your acquaintance at last, Dr. Erland. I'm afraid I am a little short on my own introductions at present, my daughters seem to be lost at the moment. Ah here they come."

Kai heard some girlish giggling coming from behind him and he forced himself from exiting the room or even turning to see from where it came, that would be unprincely. So he would have to stomach the awkward process of meeting the eligible daughters of an ambitious mother, something he to which was no stranger. However, as the girls lined up next to Linh Adri, a strange sight did meet his eyes.

Cinder stood in front of him, alongside Iko and two other girls he did not know. She gave him a sheepish smile, clearly embarrassed. She was the only one, the rest could hardly contain their giddiness. Iko, apparently learning from her last outing with the prince, wore a day party outfit of red. The other girls, unlike Cinder and Iko's Caucasian appearance, were clearly Asian in ancestry, like Linh Adri, and dressed in outfits of matching pink and white. They were roughly Cinder's age as best as he could ascertain. Was this Cinder's step-family? Before he could help himself he spoke. "Cinder?"

"Cinder?" Linh Adri repeated as her eye shifted between Kai and Cinder. "I suppose you already met my step-daughter, Your Highness?"

"What, oh yes, we met briefly in the New Beijing." He replied. "and Iko too, of course.

"In that case I won't bother introducing you three." Linh Adri said. "These are..."

"Wait step-mother!" Cinder interrupted. "Allow me, please. I promised Peony and Pearl."

"Oh very well," Linh Adri conceded with irritation.

"Prince Kai it is my great honor to present my step-sisters Linh Pearl and Peony." The girls curtsied to their prince. They each addressed him in turn and he returned their greeting.

"Yes, yes that will be quite enough ladies." Linh Adri declared, putting an end to any hope of conversing with Cinder in private before the meeting got started. "The Fundraiser is about to start and we must take our seats. Now shoo, shoo! If you will follow me Your Highness."

Kai followed the hostess to the head table, near the podium. The affair got off to a good start with several speakers coming to comment on the spread of the Letumosis plague and heartbreak caused by the disease. Dr. Erland gave a riveting discourse on the need for continued funding for research into an antidote.

His speech made Kai's skin crawl as he recalled Dr. Erland's findings regarding the vial Queen Levana had given him. It was a genuine antidote but there was no way to replicate it, that required an ingredient found only on the moon. So that avenue was barred with only marriage to Queen Levana as a way in.

Kai's turn came to speak. If anyone was waiting for a heart wrenching speech they were disappointed. His address was perfectly calm on the outside, his indignation for the Lunar Queen fueling his resolve not to break down. Once he finished he sat down and soon thereafter the anonymous deposits began. It would be a successful year, the most successful so far. By the end nearly a half billion univs were collected and Kai showed his gratitude by personally thanking the participates, alongside the Linh family, as they exited.

Now Kai had to dine with the Linh family and hopefully catch a moment with Cinder alone to talk. However that moment was not easy in coming, for his time was taken in paying polite attention with Cinder's step-sisters and cousin. Then when sitting down to dinner the two Linh girls were given seats on either side of him. The doctor on the other hand took advantage of Kai's preoccupation and his seat next to Cinder to engage her in a long, hushed conversation. Kai couldn't tell what they were talking about but it must have been a source of happy news for Dr. Erland, he couldn't stop smiling.

Unable to talk to Cinder directly, Kai decided to keep his anxiety at bay by satisfying his curiosity about Cinder. He turned to the younger step-sister Peony, having in the course of their discourse determined that she was the more honest of the siblings. "Peony," he interrupted the girl as she was trying to comment on various things about his life. "I was wondering about your step-sister fit into your family. I don't suppose that her father and your mother were once married and then divorced?"

Peony became quiet and thoughtful. When she didn't answer right away, Kai feared he had offended her with his frankness. However she waved away his apology. "No I wasn't offended Your Highness, it's just that I was trying to figure out how to best tell what you wanted to know. To answer your question, her father was never married to our mother."

"Then how is she your step-sister?" Kai asked.

"Because our father adopted her." Peony replied.

"Your father?" He inquired.

"Yes, Linh Garan." Peony explained. "I can remember the day he brought her home from Europe as if it were yesterday. That was a week before he got the plague..." She trailed off.

"So did her real father come for her?" Kai pressed her.

"Oh, no. She had no family when our father adopted her. They all died in a hover accident, she was the only survivor, that's why she's a cyborg." Peony stated.

"I see," said Kai. "So who is her father now?"

"I don't know," confessed Peony. "I remember a strange man coming to our home a few times about a year after my father died. He took Cinder and Iko with him, we didn't see her for years."

"Iko?" Kai was taken aback. He had thought that Iko was related to Cinder on her father's side, why would she have been living with the Linh family?

"Oops!" Peony exclaimed. "I thought you knew!"

"Know what?" Kai demanded quietly. "If you don't tell me I will just find out from someone else. Know what?"

"That Iko is an android." Peony explained. "Please don't tell anyone it was I who told you."

"An android?" Kai repeated thoughtfully. He glanced in Iko's direction. She sitting at the table, eating and chatting like everyone else. It was hard to believe but explained so much. Besides there had been such machines in the past, simulacrums they were called, but they had all been outlawed after the Fourth World War.

"Yes an android. I don't know how she became so human, she was a little domestic aid with a quirky personality chip when we had her. Anyway my mother refuses to talk about it and for the longest time the only contact we had from Cinder were letters."

"Letters?" Kai repeated.

"Yes, they were all about traveling the world and doing one thing or another. Then she came back about four months ago and has been visiting every week or so."

"Anything about her father or his background?" Kai pressed further.

"No, Cinder doesn't talk about her father much. She says it's because he likes his privacy, but I think there is something more to it than that." Peony said.

"Like what?" Kai asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Pearl thinks he some kind of criminal mastermind preparing Cinder to take over his criminal empire. I don't believe it, but he does have a lot of money." Peony managed to explain before her sister interrupted and occupied the rest of Kai's time at the table.

Kai got to talk to Cinder at last once the meal was over. She asked him if he had a little time for a private stroll before he headed by to the palace. Kai affirmed, seizing this opportunity for an update on the search. They found the Linh garden deserted and commenced to walk. Cinder made the first move.

"I'll wager you want to know about how the search for Michelle Benoit is going." She said bluntly. "I'll tell you, not well. We been able to narrow her location to Paris but no further and her son could offer us no more information than his daughter did."

All Kai's hopes for escape collapsed. He was surprised by the degree of hope he had been riding on this one revelation. He felt the weight of the world on himself in that moment like never before. He had to sit down. Once he reached the nearest garden bench he buried his face in his hands and tried with every ounce of will to keep from crying out. Cinder seemed to understand, because she left him to himself for a moment.

"Kai," she said gingerly. "There is still time."

"Really Cinder?" His voice laced with the venom of frustration and anger. Anger at Levana for putting him in this position, anger at Cinder for not being able to get him out. "Do you really believe that?! For someone I depended on, you are surprisingly dense. Tell me this, what are the chances of finding Michelle Benoit before my coronation?"

Cinder was silent for a moment. "Truthfully, not great."

He continued his rant. "And the chances of finding, persuading, and preparing Princess Selene to help us against Levana before her aunt crushes us into oblivion, that's assuming the girl is still alive and that the crazy conspiracy theorists are right?"

"Even lower." Cinder answered meekly.

"Ah now do you understand?!" He got up from the bench and began to pace around. "Levana is getting worse, I have to make a decision by my coronation."

"Then choose not to marry her."

"You think I don't want to do just that! To, to spit in her face and declare to all the world that I would rather marry the most grotesque creature on earth than her! And, and if it were just me I'd do that, but it's not just me, it's the Commonwealth, heck the whole world even! Did Dr. Erland tell you about the antidote that Levana brought?"

"No." Cinder solemnly answered.

"A real, verifiable antidote! One only she can make! Why? Because the crucial ingredient that makes the stuff work is found only on the Moon! So now it is up to me to decide to watch our people die slowly, waiting for the inevitable invasion, or to save the people in slavery wishing in the deepest part of their hearts that they had died!"

"Kai, my father..." she began, but in a final cascade of ire, he exploded.

"WHO IS YOUR FATHER?!" He yelled. "I don't even know his name, much less how he is going help me! Who is this man by whom I stake the fate of the world? One of your sisters believes he's a criminal mastermind out to do no good and the other sister doesn't know what to think! So tell me Pyrenee Cinder, WHO IS YOUR FATHER?!"

Kai half expect her to break down crying under his tirade, but she didn't. Instead she straightened up and seem to grow taller. Head held high she looked haughtily down her nose at him as if observing a base creature.

"My father," she spoke slowly, annunciating each word carefully. "is a great man, the greatest man in this age. Don't you dare judge him, or even ask who is he. He has suffered through things you could scarce imagine. If he does not reveal himself it is because it is necessary. And you, Kaito, Crown Prince and soon to be Emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth could not hope to measure up to his excellence and grace, especially now!"

She turned her back on him head still held high and arms folded in disgust, but she did not leave. At first Kai was angry that she had spoken to him in that way. He was a prince and she just addressed him as if he was beneath her. He wanted to leave then and there, jump into his hover and never look back, but something made him stay. In another moment guilt lanced his heart as he realized he had just insulted his closest confidant and, as he realized now, closest friend.

"Cinder..." he began and then stopped trying to work through his chastised feelings. "I...I am sorry. I had no right to speak to you that way, or insult your father. You both have taken risks that I'd dared not. I beg your pardon." He saw her shoulders relax and he took heart. "I know it may be too much to ask for right now but, I want to ask you to..., I mean I wish to invite you to my Coronation Ball as my personal guest."

Cinder's head turned and her body followed. Her eyebrow was raised ask she replied. "Are my ears deceiving me, or did you just ask me out on a date, to the ball?"

"Yes," Kai sighed, "I guess I did."

"Well, I have never been asked out on a date before. Much less to a ball." Cinder replied. "I'm not sure what I should say."

"Say you'll say yes," Kai began, then straightened his demeanor. "I mean you don't have to come, but it would mean a lot to me if you do. I need all the support I can get even if I don't deserve it."

"Alright, Kai." Cinder said after a second. "I'll do it. I'll accept your personal invitation to the Ball," she curtsied. "On one condition, that my whole family receive personal invitations too. Oh, that your first dance be with Peony, she'd be thrilled at the honor."

"Done," Kai agreed smiling, "as long as we dance later. Will I have the honor of being introduced to your father?"

"Oh, I suppose I could convince the old man to come out of his shell for one night." Cinder returned his smile. "It is a once in a lifetime chance to see his only daughter dance with an emperor." There they ended their conversation on good terms.

Kai climbed into the hover where the waiting Dr. Erland waited patiently. The vehicle lifted into the air and began the journey to the palace. "You seemed to be in good humor, Your Highness." The doctor pointed out. "Did your conversation with Miss. Pyrenee go well?"

"Not really, but it did end on a good note. Thanks for asking." Kai responded. "And what about you, doctor, you seem to be in oddly good humor. What were you and Cinder talking about?"

"Ah, that, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you, Your Highness." Dr. Erland declared. "I am resigning from my position as head of research at the palace." The news was not what Kai expected.

"May I ask why." Kai said in a grim tone.

"Of course Your Highness," The doctor replied. "I am sad to say that I can do no more for the research project than I already have. It is time to let a younger generation take over that crusade. I know this must seem so sudden but, I have thinking of leaving for some time now."

"But where will you go?" Kai asked out of a loss of words. "What will you do?"

"I have some business in my native country that needs attending to. Don't worry Your Highness, I leave you in good hands." Kai remembered that Dr. Erland came from Europe, and Cinder's father own a family Chateau in Andorra. Perhaps in his conversation with Cinder, he finally made this decision with her advice. Maybe Dr. Erland was right, there hadn't been real progress with the antidote research for years and with Levana's cure dancing before him, perhaps the doctor was letting Kai know in a subtle way the choice he believed the prince would make. All Kai really knew on the way back home was the feeling of losing an important friend.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: The Coronation**

Kai heard nothing from Cinder over the next two days, but he didn't have time to worry. He was getting crowned and she was coming to the Ball, so he left it at that. Watching the set up the coronation in the Coronation Hall was, as Kai saw it, the watching the setting of the sealing of his fate, when he would finally have the authority to decide how his people would perish and his soul condemned.

The two choices persisted, Marriage followed by slavery, or War, plague, defeat, and eventual death for the lucky, slavery for the unlucky.

Once in a while his thoughts turned to the Doge's offer and the daughter that would come with it. Who was she and what would she have been like? There had been no further messages from the Doge's residence, only silence, as if the Doge had never made the offer in the first place. It had been made, however, and Queen Levana made sure to remind him every so often during their discussions. Even if he married the girl, it would still lead to war and defeat, that Torin had assured Kai.

Such thoughts haunted his mind even into the Coronation Ceremony. Only now the thoughts seemed to attach themselves to the individual elements of the coronation. The turtledoves of peace and love embroidered across his mandarin collar, became hawks of war and malice. The midnight-blue cloak embroidered with six silver stars, signifying the peace and unity of the six Earthen kingdoms, became the weight of billions of souls shouting, denouncing him for his failure. The dozen chrysanthemums, that should have signified the twelve provinces of the Commonwealth and how they would flourish under his reign, became the funeral pyres of his realm.

A royal adviser stood beside Kai on the platform. The first rows of the crowd were made up of government officials from every branch and province. Then a small entourage came down one of the aisles, the last to take their seats-Queen Levana, along with two thaumaturges. The queen was wearing a delicate white veil that draped to her elbows, like the one in which Kai first saw her, hiding her face and making her look more like a phantom than a royal guest.

Kai watched her out of the corner of his eye as his hair stood on end. No lunars had ever been present at a Commonwealth coronation. Rather than making him feel hopeful for the future, the sight filled Kai with a lump of anxiety. Because Levana's haughty stance suggested that she belong there more than any of the Earthen citizens. As if _she_ were the one about to be coroneted.

The queen and her entourage claimed their reserved seats in the first row. Those seated around them tried, unsuccessfully, to hide their distaste at being so close to her.

The coronation began with a thunder of drums.

Prince Kai kneeled on a silk-covered platform as a slow parade of men and women passed before him, each dropping a ribbon or medallion or jewel around his neck. Each was a symbolic gift-long life, wisdom, goodness of heart, generosity, patience, joy. When all of the necklaces had been placed on him, Kai his best to look serene, eyes lowered but head held high. Imagining the weight around his neck as nooses meant to hang him at any moment and end it all before it began seemed to help.

As was customary, a representative from one of the other five Earthen kingdoms had been selected to officiate the coronation in order to show that the other countries would honor and respect the new sovereign's right to govern. They had selected the European Federation's Prime Minister Bromstad. He held out an old-fashioned paper scroll that contained all the promises Kai was making to his people when he accepted the role of emperor.

As both of the prime minister's hands gripped either end of the scroll, he spoke a series of vows, and Kai repeated after him.

"I solemnly swear to govern the peoples of the Eastern Commonwealth according to the laws and customs as laid down by generations of past rulers," he recited, like he had dozens of times to prepare for this moment. "I will use all the power bestowed on me to further justice, to be merciful, to honor the inherent rights of all peoples, to respect the peace between all nations, to rule with kindness and patience, and to seek the wisdom and council of my peers and brethren. All this, I promise to do today and for all the days of my reign, before all the witnesses of the Earth and heavens."

Prime Minister Bromstad lifted his chin. "I hereby proclaim you Emperor Kaito of the Eastern Commonwealth. Long live His Imperial Majesty."

The crowd burst into cheers and animated chants of _"Long live the Emperor" _as Kai turned to face his people.

He was now Emperor, however he felt anything but happiness. His condemnation was complete, but for appearances sake he kept his lips neutral, his gaze reserved as he stood on the dais and the applause of the crowd surged around him.

He let his own serenity clash with the tornado of praise for a long moment. After a podium was brought to the stage for his first address as emperor. The crowd quieted.

Kai stood expressionless for a moment, staring at the edge of the platform, his fingers gripping the podium's sides. "I am honored," he began, "that my coronation coincides with our most revered holiday. 126 years ago, the nightmare and catastrophe that was the Fourth World War ended, and the Eastern Commonwealth was born. It grew out of the unification of many peoples, many cultures, many ideals. It was strengthened by a single enduring belief that together, we as one people are strong. We have the ability to love each other, no matter our differences. To help each other, no matter our weaknesses. We chose peace over war. Life over death. We chose to crown one man to be our sovereign, to guide us, to uphold us-not to rule, but to serve." He paused.

"I am the great-great-great-grandson of the first emperor of the Commonwealth," Kai continued. "Since his time, our world has changed. We continue to face new problems, new heartaches. Though a war between men has not been fought on Earthen soil in 126 years, we now fight a new battle. My father was fighting a war against letumosis, the pestilence that has ravaged our planet for over a dozen years. This disease has brought death and suffering to our doorstep. The good people of the Commonwealth, and all our Earthen siblings, have lost friends, family, loved ones, neighbors. And with these losses, we face loss of trade and commerce, a downturn of economy, worsened living conditions. Some have gone without food because there are not enough farmers to toil the land. Some have gone without heat as our energy supplies dwindle. This is the war we now face. This is the war my father was determined to end, and I now vow to take up that torch.

"Together we will find a cure for this disease. We will defeat it. And we will return our great country to its former splendor."

The audience applauded, but Kai showed no sign of joy at his words, for he felt none. His expression was resigned, dark.

"It would be naive of me," he said when the audience had quieted, "not to mention a second kind of conflict. One no less deadly." The crowd rustled.

"As I am sure you are all aware, the relationship between the allied Earthen nations and Luna has been strained for many generations. As I am sure you are also aware, the sovereign of Luna, Her Majesty Queen Levana, has honored us with her presence for this past week. She is the first Lunar sovereign to step foot on Earth for almost a century, and her presence indicates hope that a time of true peace between us is fast approaching."

Kai paused for a moment, stealing a quick glance at the Lunar Queen. Her milky hands were folded demurely in her lap, as if she were humbled by the recognition. Kai was sure she fool no one, not that it mattered.

"My father spent the last years of his life in discussion with Her Majesty in hopes of seeing an alliance to fruition. He did not live to see the result of those discussions, but I am determined that his efforts will live on in me. It is true that there have been obstacles on this road to peace. That we have had difficulties finding a common ground with Luna, a solution that would serve both parties. But I have not given up hope that a resolution can be found." He took a breath, then paused with his lips still parted. His gaze dropped down to the podium. His fingers locked around the edges.

"I will-" He paused again, straightened, and focused his eyes on some distant, invisible point. "I will do whatever needs to be done to ensure the well-being of my country. I will do whatever needs to be done to keep you all safe. That is my promise."

He peeled his hands from the podium and walked off before the crowd could think to applaud, leaving a sprinkle of concerned but polite clapping behind him.

He passed in front of the Lunars in the front row. The veil may have hidden the queen's conceit, but the smug grins on her two attendants could not be mistaken. They believed they had won, and, barring some extraordinary miracle, they might as well have.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Face on the Screen**

The old man was becoming impatient, quite the inconsistency with the manner by which he maintained his reputation. He couldn't help feeling it but years of experience allowed him to control it, managing his outward appearance. Not that he had to maintain appearances here with his attendants, they knew so much, being in his confidence for years and knew much. Knew much, but not all, only he knew everything about his plans. It had been such a risk all those years ago, to remain so isolated, but it had worked out in the end. All that was left was to end this story and set the stage for a new one, and he was impatient to get started.

"How is my daughter fairing?" He asked one of his attendants. The man was fastening the buttons of the old man's vest and smoothing out the subtle wrinkles.

"She will be ready on time, Your Grace." The man said as he reached for the robe.

"I don't want her ready, I want her resplendent!" He clarified with a little too much enthusiasm. He began to pace. "Tonight is the night all my hard work bears fruit. Tonight is the night when she reveals herself and I want everyone to know she is royalty in their hearts when they see her, even if they do not yet know it in their minds."

"Do not worry Godfather," the attendant said as he finally caught up to his liege, and motioned him to stop pacing. He held the robe open for the old man to slide his arms through. The old man complied. "There has never been such a creature as her to grace their halls, and they will know it the moment when they see her."

The final outfitting was being made, and the hood placed on his head, when they were disturbed. A chime on the desk announced someone from the center operations center wished to speak. The old man waved away his attendant, declaring himself competent enough to fix the final piece of his raiment. When the attendant left his master in peace, the old man pressed the comm. button.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Sir, we got someone communicating that D-COMM chip you asked us to monitor. You'll want to see this." The voice of one of his agents declared. The old man raised an eyebrow, prepared as he usually was, he had not expected this. When the chip first fell in his hands he had the choice of either keeping it in the off chance they could use it or giving to the former prince. He had elected to give the prince a similar chip acquired in one of his many operations and keep the real one under constant supervision if someone tried to use it. It looked like this long shot had hit its mark.

"Patch it through to my personal monitor and darken my visual feed." The old man ordered and his agent complied.

On the screen before him was a girl the same age as his daughter. He took a moment to sized her up. The first thing he notice beyond her gender and age was the mass of the longest, most unruly, tangled blonde hair imaginable. The golden nest around her head was tied in a big knot over one shoulder and cascaded in a jumble of braids and snarls, wrapping around one of the girls arms before descending out of the screen's view. The girl was fidgeting with the ends, fervently winding and unwinding them around her fingers.

If it weren't for the mess of hair, she would have been pretty. She had a sweet heart-shaped face, giant sky-blue eyes, and a sprinkle of freckles across her face. She reminded him of someone he had met long ago.

Somehow it was not quite what the old man had been expecting.

"Hello?" The girl called out. "Hello?! Can anyone one hear me?! Is anyone there?" Whoever she was, she sounded on the verge of a breakdown. "Please, oh, please, someone answer. Where did that man go? _HELLO?_"

"I hear you." He replied calmly. The girl jerked at the sudden response.

"Hello?" She repeated. "Is someone there?"

"I am here." He answered again.

"I, I can't see you." The girl declared.

"That's because my video feed is darkened." The old man said and then shifted his position. The girl straightened when she saw a faint human outline move suddenly. With the video feed darkened that was all anyone saw, he was like a shadow in a less obscure shadow.

"Who are you?" the girl asked. Her eyes darted up and down trying to make something of his face, it wouldn't work. "Why is your video feed darkened and why aren't you at the palace?"

"I don't like people I don't know seeing my face." He answered. "As for the palace, I am not yet ready to attended the ball." He squinted at the room behind the girl, trying to discern if it was some office on the moon. The girl was surrounded by metal walls and machines and screens and computers and more controls, buttons, and lights than a cargo ship's cockpit.

He caught a symbol flashing on a background screen. I had seen them many times before so it was easy to recognized a Lunar Rune. "Are you Lunar?"

The girl's eyes fluttered, as if caught off guard by the question. Instead of answering, she leaned forward. "I need to speak with someone at New Beijing Palace right away."

"Why did you not comm the palace information board?"

"I can't!" The girl shriek was so unexpected, so desperate that the old man almost flinched. "I don't have a global comm. chip-this is the only direct link I've been able to get down to Earth!"

"So you are Lunar."

The girl's eyes widened to near perfect circles. "That's not-"

"Who are you?" The old man demanded in an authoritative voice. "Are you working for Queen Levana? It was you who installed the chip in the android, wasn't it?"

The girl's eyebrows drew together, but rather than looking irritated at the old man's questions, she appeared frightened. Even ashamed.

The old man steadied his nerves with a deep breath, taking control of his desire to know exactly what was falling in his lap, a key or a trap. He decided to press further, "Are you a Lunar agent?"

"No! Of course not! I mean...well...sort of."

"_Sort of?_ What do you mean-"

"Please, listen to me!" The girl clenched her hands together, as if fighting an internal battle. "Yes, I programmed the clip, and I am working for the queen, but it's not what you think. I've programmed all the spyware that Levana's used to watch Emperor Rikan these past months, but I didn't have a choice. Mistress would kill me if...stars above, she _will_ kill me when she finds out about this."

"Mistress who? Are you referring to the Queen?"

The girl squeezed her eyes tight, her face contorted with pain. When she opened her eyes again, they were glistening. "No. Mistress Sybil. She is Her Majesty's head thaumaturge...and my guardian."

The old man smiled, this was looking more like a key every passing moment. He had concluded it was the queen's thaumaturge who put the chip in the android Nainsi in the first place. "Yes I am familiar with the woman."

"But she's more like a captor, really," The girl continued, as if she didn't hear his comment. "I'm nothing to her but a prisoner and a sla-ave." She hiccupped on the last word and buried her face in a bundle of hair, sobbing. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm an evil, worthless, wretched girl."

The old man felt his heart tug in sympathy-he could relate to being prisoner and being afraid that his captor could kill him at a whim. He could even imagine what the girl's slavery was like. Time to take control of the situation.

"Stop it! Stop crying!" He ordered the girl. "It serves no purpose and is distracting us from being productive. If you wish to grieve for your lot in life I suggest you do it at a more opportune time, now is not such, understand?"

The crying stopped. The girl peered up at him with big, watery eyes and nodded.

"Good. Now tell me why were you trying to get a hold of the palace?"

The girl shrank back and sobbed, but the tears seemed to have been startled out of her. "I need to get a message to Emperor Kai. I need to warn him. He's in danger, all of Earth...Queen Levana...and it's all my fault. If I'd only been stronger, if I'd only tried to fight, this wouldn't have happened. It's all my fault."

"Enough!" The old man ordered before the girl could dissolve into hysterics again. "You need to get a hold of yourself if you want to help the Emperor and the Earth. What do you mean by danger? What have you done?"

The girl hugged herself, her eyes pleading with the old man's faint outline, as if he alone could offer forgiveness. "I'm the queen's programmer, like I said. I'm good at it-Hacking into netlinks and security systems and the like." She said this without a hint of arrogance on her wavering voice. "For the last few years, Mistress has been asking me to connect feeds from Earth's political leaders to Her Majesty's palace. At first, it was just court discussions, meetings, document transfers, nothing very interesting. Her Majesty wasn't learning anything that your emperor hadn't already told her, so I didn't think much harm could come of it."

The girl twisted her hair around both sets of knuckles. "But then she asked me to program a D-COMM chip that she could install in one of the royal androids, thinking then she could spy on the emperor outside the netlinks." She raised her eyes to the old man. Guilt was scrawled across her face. "If it had been any other android, any android in the entire palace, she still wouldn't know anything. But now she does know! And it's all my fault!" She whimpered and pulled the lock of hair into her mouth like a gag.

"Know?" the old man repeated. "Know what?"

The girl pulled the hair out as tears started to slip down her cheeks. "She knows everything that android knew, everything she'd been researching. She knows that Princess Selene is alive and that Prince-I'm sorry, that Emperor Kai was searching for her. She knows that the emperor wanted to find the princess and instate her as the true Lunar queen."

The old man was not surprised, he had foreseen this possible outcome.

"She knows the names of the doctors who helped her escape and this poor old woman in the European Federation who housed her for so long...Her Majesty's already sent people to hunt her down, using the information Kai had. And when they find her-"

"Let me guess," the old man decided to cut to the chase as his time became even more important. "In short they will kill her, thereby ending that threat to Levana's rule. Then she will have Emperor Kaito murdered, and probably tortured in a grisly manner, for such a infraction on her authority that she could not forgive, only after marrying him of course. Then, as empress of the Commonwealth, she will have the foothold she needs to wage war on the rest of Earth with her army of bear-sized man-wolf mutants and seal the fate of the world in slavery. Does that about sum it up?"

The girl was stunned for a moment. "Ye-yes! But how did you know?"

"My dear child," the old man spoke condescendingly as he leaned back. "I have been around a long time, and I've picked things up along the way. Case in point, I suspect you are being truthful, my dear and that you are not on the moon as we speak. If you wish to undo all you have done, I will need you to be a witness and tell everything you know. Will you do that?"

"Yes, yes I will." Her sobbing voice gaining strength. "But I can't get down to Earth, and then, then there's my Mistress.."

"Do not concern yourself with your Mistress, I will handle the witch." The old man declared. "Where are you?"

"A, uh, a satellite in polar orbit, about 26,000 km from the surface." The girl replied.

"Ah, excellent. Would you send me your exact coordinates." He said.

"Yes, yes, of course!" She agreement was fill with hope and excitement. The old man suspected she had been on the satellite for a long time. "Now if you will excuse me for just a moment." He muted his line with the girl and activated the line to his men. "Zack, did you get that?"

"Yes sir, we got it all." The second most trusted agent answered. "It appears to be a large communications satellite. We got a ship not far away and can be redirected in less than ten minutes."

"Good, but tell the boys to be careful, this could still be a trap. Tell my daughter's maid to arrange for ball gowns, sizes 5 to 8, to be sent to the landing platform for a rapid fitting. Oh, and inform Signor Paolo that when he is finished with my daughter, I need him to stay on for a very special appointment, one which will test his vaunted skills to the limit. I don't want anything fancy, mind you and if he starts off about missing his other appointments, offer him his fee a hundred-fold." He signed off and unmuted the girls line. "Now young lady, I suspect that your 'home' has a number failsafe measures, am I correct."

"Yes," came her response.

"I also suspect that as such a clever girl with the talent to become the queen's programmer at such a young age that you know how disable all of those booby-traps, if you have not done so already."

"Yes, yes!" Her excitement was increasing. "I use to play around with them a while back until I got bored."

"Very good. If you could keep them off line my men will pick you up in ten minutes. Understand?" The girl nodded eagerly. "Good, and if you will excuse this senile old man for forgetting his manners, may I have the pleasure of knowing the name of such an enchanting young lady?"

The girl blushed red. "I, I am Cress, it's short for Crescent Moon."

"Ah, that is a beautiful name my dear. Until met meet face to face, you may call me Godfather." Cress nodded again. "Now Cress, I am going to ask you the most important question you have heard in your life thus far and I need you to be completely honest with me. Can you dance?"

The girl startled back, this was not a question she had been expecting. Her expression was priceless, that was why he asked it. When she didn't reply right away, he repeated the question.

"Uh, yes, well sort of. I mean I watch a lot of videos of people dancing and I try to learn when I have time."

"Good," the Godfather chuckled. "Because you are going to a ball."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: Revelation of the Ball**

The party was in full swing, most of those that were going to come had already arrived. Yet she still hadn't arrived. He still found himself stealing glances at the cascading, grand staircase that led into the ballroom. He had begun to think that perhaps his orders weren't explicit, that perhaps Cinder's family hadn't received the treatment that all special guests were supposed to receive. He certainly hadn't heard the announcements of their arrival.

To divert his attention he had resorted to focusing on his surroundings. From the high ceiling were hung hundreds of crimson lanterns, each one glimmering with rich, golden light. The walls opposite the staircase was lined with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the gardens, one of the palaces best features in Kai's mind.

The dance floor had been set up in the center with round tables surrounding the space. Each table was bedecked with lavish orchid centerpieces and jade sculptures. The walls of the room were lined with folding silk screens hand painted with designs of cranes and tortoises and bamboo, ancient symbols of longevity that hinted at a single defining message: Long live the Emperor. All fluff and no substance in Kai's opinion.

The distraction of observing his surroundings also helped him to forget some else too, his dance with the Lunar Queen. It was a diplomatic formality staged by his advisors to ease public concern with the negotiations, and satisfy Levana's pride as being so favored that she would have the first dance with the newly minted emperor.

Someone put their hand on Kai's shoulder. He turned to see Torin with a sorrowful expression.

"Is it time?" Kai asked, dreading the answer.

"Yes Your Majesty." Torin's response made Kai squirm. He couldn't help feeling that whenever someone addressed him with that title, they were really talking to his father and he would be tempted to look around for the late emperor.

The queen was waiting at the edge of the dance floor, her thaumaturges and guards nearby. He had to wade his way through the dance floor to her side and ask her to dance.

"Your Majesty," He asked with as neutral a voice as possible. As he addressed her, her radiant beauty seem to become more brilliant. He choked down a desire to fawn and maintained a stoic face. "May I ask you to honor me with a dance?"

Her smile, poised as it was, assaulted his senses even further. "Why yes, Your Majesty." She replied graciously, almost condescendingly. Thus began their waltz. The music started and crowd parted around them. As much as they hated and feared her, none could deny that Kai's dance partner was the most beautiful, most graceful, most divine woman in the room. Her every step was perfection, Kai felt like a two left footed duck by comparison. It couldn't tell for certain as her eyes never left Levana's face, but he sure that no one else dared to soil the dance floor with their mortal soles with their emperor and his goddess on the floor.

At last the waltz was over, the music ceased and the crowd began to applaud. Kai and Levana unclasped their hands and parted ways, a stiff bow was all he could manage but Levana curtsied with the grace of a geisha. Kai watched the Lunar queen go, heading to a staircase on one side of the room. He then took to the other side, trying to get as far from the wretched woman as possible.

The music returned and now the general crowd took to the dance floor. Couples danced and chatted with one another, the general clamor along with the rain almost drowned out the music of the orchestra. Kai breathed in the noise as he closed his eyes for a moment, steeling himself for what was about to come.

"_Please welcome to the 126th Annual Ball of the Eastern Commonwealth, personal guests of His Imperial Majesty: The Honorable Mrs. Linh Adri of Garan-Tai. Accompanied by her daughters, the Honorable Linh Pearl and Linh Peony of Garan-Tai."_

Kai saw the wealthy widow, stately as ever in a kimono inspired gown, blue and green with red embroidered dragons and phoenixes. Her daughters appeared behind her and followed their mother down the staircase. The elder of the two wore a gown of golden silk with ruby necklace, bracelet, and hairpin. Her younger sister wore a gown of similar design but silver color with a sapphire necklace, bracelet, and hairpin. When each of the ladies reached the bottom of the stairs, the crowd parted the short distance to Kai, and they each curtsied in turn. They looked fit for kings, but they were not who Kai was waiting for.

_"And announcing the Honorable Pyrenee Iko of Andorra."_

Kai look up from the Linh family and saw the simulacrum disguised as a woman. She was dressed in all red again, her hair dyed a venetian red that set well with the scarlet of her gown. Pearl necklace, bracelet, and hair pin accessorized her outfit. Kai smiled at the memory of Iko's nigh vow to wear red at all further occasions regarding Kai's presence for fear of staining her clothes with blood.

Kai wondered who would win, the queen's imposing guards or this deceptively frail superhuman diva with an affinity for knives. For a brief instant, while Iko curtsied to him and fluttered her blue eyes, Kai allowed himself to hope that if Iko did spill blood tonight it would be the queen's.

_"Finally, announcing the arrival of his Supreme Grace, Don Vastion Netherone, Grand Doge of the Belt Confederacy of Independent Asteroid States, and his daughter, Dame Cinder Pyrenee Netherone, the First Dame of Vesta." _

Kai whirled toward the doors, but the sight that met his eyes couldn't quite confirm his disbelieving ears. On the top of the steps was Grand Doge Vastion, dressed in a conservative, but stylish formal suit and robe of dark violet and walking stick in hand. A mask far more elaborate than his every day one claimed his face. However, what held Kai's eyes captive was the woman next to him.

Cinder, if it was the one and the same, wasn't recognizable in her ensemble. She wore a dress of shimmering navy blue that on her right side fanned out more than on her left. On the left side the dress cut up to the thigh, from which all could see a polished iridium plated artificial leg carried the Dame. The collar dipped only to her neck line in the front, but cascaded up in the rear like a rolled fan and trimmed with blue lace. At first, Kai thought Cinder wore iridium colored glove on her left while she wore a navy blue glove on her right, then realized that it was her artificial hand, glinting in the low light. The sleeves of the dress were open and hung low. As she drew closer, Kai could see that the dress's fabric was embroidered with gently glowing threads arranged in such a way that blue and red lights would travel along organized paths in pulses, suggesting circuitry. Her hair was tried up into a complex hairdo of rolls and curls that was partially hidden behind her own Belter ball mask.

The iridium mask had been prepared with no less care than the rest of the party raiment, covered in same pulsing circuitry pattern as the gown, lips painted a deep, deep red, and her eyes glowing blue orbs. On the forehead Kai could see the Vestal Crest, a hearth with fire coming out of the top. She was very becoming indeed, and mysterious, like an enchantress out of a fairytale.

The Grand Doge led her down the stairs into the ball room to Kai. Though first as stunned as everyone else, Kai recovered himself, then he began to add up all the things that Doge Vastion and Cinder said. In hindsight it was obvious, how could he have been so stupid, so blind! Of course she would help him find the Lost Lunar Heir, to take risks if it helped achieve the marriage her father was arranging. The question was why not simply tell him who she was, why the average girl show? What secret agenda could they be plotting? Anger born of a feeling of betrayal boiled up in him.

The Grand Doge bowed Kai returned the gesture in kind. "Emperor Kaito, allow me to formally introduce my daughter to you, Dame Cinder Pyrenee of the House of Netherone of Vesta." Cinder curtsied deeply and gracefully to the emperor. Kai bowed stiffly.

"I am pleased to finally meet the _real_ Cinder." He said not putting much effort in filtering the venom from his words. He was disappointed when neither made any sign of discomfort. Those masks made them so darn difficult to read!

"I will leave you two to become better reacquainted." The Grand Doge declared. He seemed to study the young emperor for a moment. "Don't look so sullen Kai, this is a party, I am leaving you in the hands of the most edible young lady in the system. Laugh, flirt, dance, have fun!" Ending his admonishment in an elegant flourish with his free hand, the Doge disappeared into the crowd.

Kai and Cinder stared at each other for another moment. Finally, Cinder spoke.

"Kai please say something." She asked, her voice sounded genuine, but if Kai had learned anything about this girl was her ability to _mask_ herself.

"Why?" He complied with a harsh underlined tone. "Why did you not tell me?"

"Kai I..."

"That is Emperor Kaito to you Dame Cinder!" Kai almost snapped, but he kept his voice even. Cinder straightened her shoulders.

"I wanted to tell you Emperor Kaito, but it wasn't time." She explained.

"Oh and is it time now?!" Kai demanded. "Are you finally going to stop lying to me and tell me the truth? Are you going to tell me want is going on?! If your father ever expects a marriage alliance this had better be good. I am waiting Dame Cinder."

She didn't answer him. Instead she cast a glance to her family. "Your Majesty, my sisters and my cousin are hoping for the honor of a dance with the new emperor. If you indulge them with this one pleasure, I will tell you everything you'd want to know."

"No..." Kai started.

"Please, just give me until then, and I will tell you everything!" Cinder pleaded. Kai looked at the girls, Peony was biting her lip, Pearl was rubbing her hands, and Iko was still fluttering her eyes at him.

"How do I know you won't just run out on me?" He asked.

"I may not have been completely honest with you Your Majesty, but I have never broken my word." Cinder declared. "I have no intention of starting now!"

Without his leave she turned away and also disappeared into crowd after her father. The emperor ground his teeth in repressed frustration. He wanted to know what was going on and Cinder had left him only one way to do that. As much as he distrusted her now he couldn't refute her claim of going back on her word. He would accept her offer and get the truth from her one way or another.

Remembering the promise that he had made Cinder two days prior, Kai stepped up to Peony and asked her to dance. She accepted and to his pleasant surprise he enjoyed their time together. He proceeded to Pearl, but was less amused with the elder sister. His final dance with Iko was a bit awkward as she keep trying to rest her head on his shoulder and was hard pressed to move in such a way that would keep her from doing just that. Having seen what she could do at the park, he didn't want to risk offending her.

The Doge wandered the ball room, greeting and making light conversation with whom ever came in his way. He was an old man and had seen many such events and so moving among the people came easily to him. The one strange thing about terran balls that the Doge couldn't get over was the fact that only he was wearing a mask. In the belt, it was customary that all attendees wear masks, a holdover from an era when people were at risk of slow, unseen death by oxygen deprivation. He had of course attended many terran balls in his youth while going to university on Earth, but that was a lifetime ago.

When he arrived at the doors leading into the hall before the ball room, his agent was already waiting for him. He wasn't alone either, the girl from the screen was there as well and she looked different. First thing the Doge noticed was that her hair had been cut and combed, now arranged in a simple French braid. Her face had been touched up with make-up and she was dressed in a simple, off the rack, gown the same color as her eyes. All together a vision of simple elegance.

"I see you have arrived Zack, were there any problems?" The Doge saluted his man.

"No boss, everything went off without a hitch." The agent reported with a satisfied grin. "We are stripping the satellite as we speak, the locations are verified, and there's a lot of other stuff you'll find interesting."

"Good, very good." The old man replied. "Are you and the men ready for your special job tonight?"

"Yes sir!" The agent answered. "All teams report green and mean, and they are eager to kick some Lunar butt."

"And the Paris team?" The old man asked.

"No worries boss, we'll get the old lady out. Dean's leading that team after all, and he even_ better _than me." the agent Zack smirked. "He has to be to deal with _HER!"_

"If I didn't know better, Zack, I'd think you and Dean were an incompetent braggarts."

"Good thing you know better sir." The grin got wider.

"Yes, now you have your orders. Carry them out."

"Yes sir," Zack saluted and turn on his heel with perfect precision.

"And Zack," the Doge called after his man. "Be careful."

"Sure thing boss, I plan to crash the after party after all!" He jogged to the waiting hover to take him to his job and was off. The Doge turned to the nervous girl standing beside him.

"Allow me to formally introduce myself, my dear." He bowed. "I am Don Vastion Netherone, Grand Doge of the Belt Confederacy of Independent Asteroid States. Truly obliged to make your acquaintance." He offered her his hand and she took it still shaking. He placed her hand on his elbow and led her to the ball. "Nervous my dear?"

"Yes," she squeaked.

"That's quite all right, Cress." He consoled. "I was nervous for my first ball, and I didn't have your duty to perform." Cress nodded.

"I, I don't know if I can face her, I don't know if I can face all those people." She said as they reached the top of the stairs and looked over the concourses of people.

"One breath at a time, my dear, one deep breath at a time and you'll be all right." He advised as they descended.

"What if she recognizes me?" Cress asked.

"We want her to recognized you, Cress." The Doge answered. "Do not fear, I will be by your side the whole time. Any danger you face will have to get by me first." He nudged her gently and she gave him a nervous giggle.

"May I ask you a question?" She ventured.

"Yes, you may." He replied.

"Why..." she hesitated. "Why do you wear a mask?"

"Because I am a Belter, and everyone knows Belters wear masks."

"But you darkened your visual feed." Cress pointed out, obvious meaning in her few words.

"Perhaps," he jested, "I want to hide my bald head and unsightly features." With another playful nudge, she giggled, less nervous. "To be truthful, my dear, life has not been kind to me in that way, and I prefer not to have people look at me in disgust."

"I wouldn't look at you in disgust!" Cress declared. "You freed me from that satellite, any man as good as you must be as handsome as he is kind hearted."

The Doge chuckled at the girl naivety. "Perhaps, perhaps not, and I was handsome once." He conceded. "But enough talk, the show will start soon and we are at a ball. At balls people are suppose to dance. I am afraid I cannot grant you every girl's dream of a prince charming as a dance partner. However, since this is your first ball and you will have many hereafter, I offer you the chance to cut your teeth on a humble old doge. I'm not very lively but I still have a few good steps left in my legs. What do you say, fair maiden, may I have the honor of this dance?"

Cress smiled. "Yes your grace, it would be _my _pleasure." And they danced.

At last he could search out Cinder, and he found her conversing lightly with the queen's head thaumaturge. Sybil Mira grinned maliciously as if Cinder had just said something impertinent that the thaumaturge could take advantage of for sadistic pleasure.

"Excuse me Thaumaturge Mira, may I deprive you of Dame Cinder's company for the moment, she owes me a dance." The thaumaturge graciously agreed, stating that she needed to find her mistress anyway, and pranced off like a cat. "What were you two talking about?"

"Oh, random facts about my life I thought her queen would like to know." Cinder said cryptically.

"Random facts?" Kai asked. "What random facts?"

"Not important, you owe me a dance by the way." She headed to the dance floor.

"I owe you a dance?" Kai asked incredulously. "You owe me a dance! That and an a very good explanation."

"Well then, by all means, let's get on with it." They took hands and began to dance. "Where would you like me to start?"

"How about your father?" Kai said. "Why didn't you tell me about him?"

"I was under orders not to." Cinder replied.

"Your father's orders?" He asked.

"Yes," Cinder confirmed.

"Why?" Kai pressed.

"He wasn't ready for you to know," Cinder said. "His plan wasn't ready."

"Plan?" Kai repeated. "What plan?"

"The plan to bring down Levana, of course!" She declared.

"Your father actually has a plan for that!" Kai exclaimed in astonishment, hope raising in his heart before he could squash it.

"Of course he does!" Cinder confirmed. "He has been planning it for years."

"Does this plan involve Princess Selene?" Kai asked.

"She is the center of my father's whole scheme."

"So you knew where the princess has been all this time!" Kai realized. "Why the show?"

"Because we weren't ready for Levana to know," Cinder explained. "She had to think that she still had a chance to get to Selene before we did. She had to think that marrying into the Commonwealth's royal family was still viable."

"Why?" Kai asked, his ire rising as he realized that he had been an unwitting pawn in a greater scheme.

"To keep her here on Earth, Kai. Here she's as vulnerable as she could possibly get. If she were on the moon, we'd have to fight through fleets of ships and armies of mutants before Selene could get close enough to defeat her and claim the throne. But here, she's all but alone, we could win the war before it even starts!"

Cinder's words made perfect sense, even if he was still angry for being used, he had to admit it might be worth his pride. As he let his mind digest this revelation, he spied the Doge dancing with a pretty blond girl. Then a new question came to his mind.

"How do you fit into this?" He asked. "Your father adopted you, correct?"

"Yes, yes he did." Cinder confirmed. "He isn't my biological father. He is my second adoptive father. The first, Linh Garan, adopted me from Europe. I barely remember him, he contracted Letumosis less than a week after he brought me home. After that, life was hard, Garan didn't leave much money and Adri burned through it all quickly."

"Wait, I thought your step-mother was rich?" Kai pointed out.

"She is, because Garan left her two treasures in one, me. She couldn't see it and so she abuse me. Force me to labor for the family's support because she blamed me for everything bad that happened. That was the darkest time in my life." Cinder voice trailed off for a time. "Then he came, not my father, but one of his agents, Dean. He had tracked me down, and bartered with my step-mother for me on behalf of my father."

"Wait, you said that Garan left two treasures in you, what treasures?" Kai asked, bewildered what this had to do with the Doge's plans.

"I'll tell you then. Garan was an inventor, and his masterpiece, the first treasure, is still imbedded in my spine. An implant called a Bioelectric Security System, it counteracts Lunar glamour and keeps them from controlling anyone who has the implant. I was his first test subject."

Kai was stunned. "I've never heard of it."

"Of course you haven't, my father suppressed all knowledge of its existence when he first learned of it." Cinder explained. "He purchased the rights to its patents from my step-mother when he purchased me. Paid her handsomely as I later learned and help her build her paradise too."

Kai considered this carefully. There was a way to defeat lunar glamour! Perhaps the Doge would share it with the rest of the world. Why had he not already? "What was the second treasure?" Kai asked.

"Me." Cinder answered quietly. She continued in a hushed tone "I was the second treasure. You see not only does the Bioelectric Security System implant stops Lunars from glamouring those who have it, but when it is implanted in a Lunar, it will keep them from using glamour."

Kai was stunned and he almost let her go when he realized what she was saying. "You're Lunar?"

"Yes." She answered.

"But you can't use glamour, because of your implant?"

"Actually I can," she confessed. "My father had my implant modified so I can switch it on and off."

"Then you can use glamour!" Kai realized, and nearing raised his voice. He had let one of them that close into his life! "Have you...have you been using it on me?" He asked afraid of what she was going to say.

She seemed afraid too, for she was silent for a moment. "Now and again, yes, but only to keep you on track. Kai, I did it to help you!" He didn't hear her last words, his mind too full of the revulsion of being molded like clay by one he had considered a friend. He let her go and backed away. "Kai wait, there's is more!"

"I don't want to hear it Cinder. Everything you've said, you've done has been a lie! You've...altered me!" He voice rose to a shout. "How can I trust you? How can be near you?"

"Because you need me!" Cinder declared, shout even louder. "And as hard as this may be for you to believe Your Majesty, but I LOVE YOU!"

Kai heard Torin hiss, he had no idea that his advisor was so close by. Then he realized the music had stopped again as the musicians stood and tried to get a look at what was happening.

A burst of jovial, tittering laughter split through the awkwardness. The sound, though filled with the sweetness of a child's giggle, sent a chill down Kai's spine.

He turned slowly. The crowd followed the noise as well, swiveling in unison like puppets on strings.

And there was Queen Levana.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: Paris Rescue**

Dean stood in the belly of a hovering transport viewing the incoming video stream from the micro drones spying the old opera house ten thousand feet below, its very vestige crumbling and broken from the corruption of age and corruption war. It had once been a bastion of the arts and eloquence, the angels and cherubim stood guard still at the massive arched doorways. However gorgeous and sacred the towering building had been in the bygone era, now it was just a nest for abominations that had to be wiped out. That and...

"Agent Dean I am talking to you!" Dean's shoulders flinched at the sound of the shrew's voice, although he was getting better at not showing. He took a deep breath. "I said..."

"That your grandmother has been missing for days, probably subject to torture and starvation, and may not have much time left. And if we don't go in immediately you will go in alone." He summarized her protests excluding her colorful metaphors. "Yes Ms. Benoit, I heard you the last three times and every time you complained on the trip here and since I arrived at the chateau! I KNOW! I have an eidetic memory if you can remember unlike you! I swear, favor or no favor, I'll kill Zack for this. It's no wonder why he wanted to forgo the honor of this rescue and transfer to the Beijing Operation, no praise is worth your nagging!"

"Your playing with my grand-mére's life!" Scarlet Benoit retorted. "And I do not nag!"

"Yes you do!" Dean affirmed as he eyed her sternly. "All women nag, you just do it so much that it's embedded with every word that leaves the trap you call a mouth." He turned back to the view of the opera house. "As for playing with your Grand-mére's life, she agreed to this _sting_ arrangement when we met four years ago and you have no say in military matters!"

Scarlet swore. "Of course I have a say, I am her granddaughter!" Scarlet cried. "We are the only family each other has, not that you or your Grand Doge could understand that!"

"Oh really?!" Dean turned back to the young woman. "You don't think he doesn't know what it is like to have no one? And me, I have parents, and a sister, and I have seen people lose loved ones so I can imagine what it might be like, so shut your mouth!"

Scarlet fumed at him and he wanted so much to smack her, but despite the incessant pounding she gave his ears he forced himself to remember that deep inside that mature woman's body was a scared little girl. Her whole world was changing and she had none of his lifelong preparation to help her adapt. That and she was an invited guest on this expedition by the Doge himself.

"Look, we know our job, we've been at it for years, your grandmother knew this. So if you aren't going to trust us then at least trust her."

"I'm going with you..." Scarlet began, but Dean cut her off.

"No you are not Miss Benoit." Dean replied. "We been over this already."

"I can help, I am a good shot." She answered. "My grand-mére trained me herself."

"Yes and she did a good job, but she was a pilot, not a special forces operator and there is more to this operation than shooting." He continued. "We know the layout of the building and you don't. We have been practicing with a cyber mock up based on blueprints and drone data you haven't. We can walk those halls blind folded and you can't, then there is the matter of the wolves themselves. They are genetically augmented animal super soldiers, what do you think is going to happen when you meet one or more and you haven't got the range or room for your gun, they'll rip you to shreds!"

"If they are so tough," Scarlet retorted. "what makes you think you can take them?"

"Because I have," Dean said flatly, when the welcome chirp of his comm. interrupted them. "Excuse Miss Benoit, I need to take this. Yeah!"

"Sir, we got the green light." The comm. officer reported. "10 minutes to contact."

"Excellent," He closed the comm. line. "Sorry Miss. Benoit I am afraid that we are going to have to cut this argument short. Alright boys saddle up, we drop in ten." The other members of his Hex snapped to final outfitting. He went to his number two, Jeb, and they did final equipment checks. As they strapped on their deceleration packs and moved to the back of the craft Scarlet followed them.

"Stand back Miss Benoit," Dean said as he noticed her approach. The doors opened and the men braced for the decompression just as it hit them. "On my mark we jump in 30!" Dean told them as they watched their internal chronometers.

Out of the blue there were two bangs in quick succession just over their heads. Following their training they ducked away from the gunshots and to Dean's horror he saw Scarlet Benoit jumped over them and out the door. He swore.

"Jump now!" He ordered his men as he leaped out himself. He fell down he streamlined his body to pick up speed. He sighted his quarry flapping wildly in the air screaming at the top of her lungs. As he got close he spread out his arms and steered himself closer to her. She was still holding the pistol in her hand and her slow spin was making it hard the steer clear of its line of fire. He swept in close when her spin carried the gun away and grabbed her. Her shrieks renewed and she must have tensed to the point she squeezed the trigger because her gun let off a shot.

"Whoa!" He cried. "Scarlet, it's me! Relax or you'll hit someone! Hold on to me!" She grappled on and held him tight. The ground was closing fast, they only had 35 seconds before they hit the roof of the opera house. Dean activated his deceleration pack and he felt Scarlet lurch down but they held on to each other. He slowly increased the power of his decelerators and their descent slowed. By the time they reached the roof they only made a minor thump.

The rest of his Hex and a second Hex landed soon after, the other Hexes should be landing on the streets below. They made their way to the roof entrances and Dean signaled to them to continue the mission. They broke the door down with a swift kick and tossed in a flash-bang pellet. The explosion caused the roof to shudder as Dean set Scarlet up next to a short wall, the fall and landing had taken the wind out of her, but other than that she was fine. Now that he had ascertained that, he let her have it.

"You idiot! You may have just spoiled our element of surprise!" He growled. He grabbed her gun hand and helped her level her gun to the doorway. "As long as you are here make yourself useful. Blow away anyone who comes through that door that isn't wearing a uniform, but do not enter the building or I will shoot you myself. Come on Jeb!" He and his wingman shouldered their weapons and entered the Opera House.

They entered the dusty upper story, it would have been musty too, if they weren't wearing masked helmets. The light was dim, power had been cut from this section of the city as part of the plan and sewer connections were also blocked off. The ground teams should be working their way in now.

They caught up with the rest of their Hex and Dean motioned them to fan out by teams of two. Activating their NV/IR heads up displays the world of darkness came into sharp focus. Two shadows moved behind opposite walls, and Dean smiled grimly. Signaling to his men, two of them tossed flash-bang pellets at the concealed shadows. The flash and bang were followed by cries of pain and surprise.

Dean and troop rushed forward their 9mm gauss sub-machine guns at the ready. When he arrived around his corner, Dean could see that the lunar man-wolf was already shaking off the effects. Not fast enough, six rounds from Dean's weapon put him down. More shots and a satisfying thud from behind him told Dean that the second lunar went down as well. Distant shots signaled the arrival of the ground teams.

"Downstairs!" He ordered. "Spread out but don't get cocky and stay with your wingman."

They only encountered another couple of wolf-men on their way down before they hooked up with the two ground Hexes. These were greenies by his book, not that they were green in general. Recruited from existing Terran military and police special forces veterans and each given their own BSS implants, they bolstered the depleted ranks of Dean's and his brothers, whom were never very many to begin with and this was a very large global operation.

"Report!" Dean barked as he and his team closed the distance. The leader of the first ground Hex stepped from his covering position.

"We took down four guards near the entrance," The Hex leader answered. He was almost as old as Dean and a veteran of several assaults, but he lacked the physical enhancements of Dean and his brothers. "No sign of anyone else, I think they've taken refuge in the basement, probably setting up an ambush."

"Affirmative," Dean agreed. "The basement is too tight for us all to go in, Mr. Prodi. your Hexes will stay back in reserve, I will take my Hex in first, followed by Zed's Hex 30 seconds after, we will flush them out you take any who try to run, copy?"

"I copy." He replied and began to direct his men into killing zones. Dean formed up his Hexes on the stage with their orders and took the middle position. Then they went down, into the dark. Their NV/IR displays brought this underworld into daylight, showing the long hallway with barred doors along it. His mind was already selecting the strategy best suited for this scenario and he knew that his Hex were already selecting the same strategy.

They moved forward by twos and as the forward two reached the first door they turned in to scan the room as the next two moved forward and covered the hall and the last two covered the rear. No shots rang so Dean assumed that there was no one in the room. Just as his men shouted clear in their comms and Dean made a step to the next room, something happened.

From the room in front of them bodies surged, as quick as they were graceful. Wolf-men and they were charging Dean's hex. There was no shout for 'open fire,' Dean and his wingman just squeezed the triggers, followed by two more. Rounds tore into the first wolves and they staggered back, but then lurched forward again. Dean realized what they were doing, using the first comrades as shields as the rest bolted towards Dean's Hex. He wanted to order his men to back up, but it was too late as the wolves smashed into his unit.

Dean went down despite bracing for the impact, and was buried beneath two dead wolves. He grunted as the rest of the pack clambered over him to gat at the rest of his Hex. Then he shoved the bodies aside and got up. No sooner he had risen to his feet when he was tackled by a wolf-man.

The creature was growling and snapping at him, just as he remembered them doing four years ago. The wolf tried to claw at him with his sharpened nails but found that he couldn't tear Dean's neo-Kevlar suit or his helmet. The wolf tried to snap at him with his reinforced and sharpened teeth but received a head butt from Dean reinforce helmet. It resorted to a grappling match at close quarters, something which suited Dean just fine.

The wolf-man grabbed Deans arm, dragging him into a nearby room. The wolf tried to twist his arm into a lock, but he was obviously ignorant of the folly of that tactic. With his double jointed flexibility Dean slipped out to the hold and jumped at the wolf's head. Wrapping his legs around the wolf-man's head, leaned back hard and pulled the wolf off balance, forward onto the concrete hard. Stunned for a split second, Dean had a the time he needed to snap the creature's formidable neck.

He got up and turned to the door only to face another wolf-man coming in. By the sounds of the outside, the second Hex had arrived and they joined the fray, but they couldn't help him, not now anyway, this second wolf would have to be his kill. He unclipped his karambit and assumed a defensive posture.

The wolf eyed him for a moment and then rushed Dean. Dean rolled out of the way struck out with his knife but this wolf a little quicker than the last one, and stronger, he dodged the karambit and tackled Dean then proceeded to crush him with a bear hug. Dean twisted one way and the other, trying to shake off the beast to little avail.

Knowing that time was running out, he resorted on a dirty little trick he had devised just for this situation. He dropped his karambit and caught it with his prehensile toes, shifted to the appropriate grip and rammed it up the wolf groin and twisted. The creature bellowed and loosened his grip enough for Dean to slip out. He lashed out with his other foot and caught the wolf-man's ankle and yanked it out from under him. The wolf went down and started to rise but Dean leaped into the air and put all of his weight behind one blow with his fist on the head of his enemy.

The reinforced glove punch had its intended effect, stunning the animal and allowing Dean to retrieve his karambit and ram it into the creature's heart. Recovering for the blow to his head, the wolf-man tried to strung Dean off, but his strength was rapidly waning. Dean held the blade in and looked into the creature's eyes as he died. Dean had been trained to read a man's eyes as well as a book. First Dean was confusion, then rage at what was happening, then fear, pure child like fear. Then he was gone, staring beyond the ceiling.

As Dean saw life leave the man's eyes, he heard his name called out. He turned up to look at Zed as the leader of the second Hex entered the room. Dean removed his karambit and placed it, still bloody, in its sheath.

"You alright?" Zed asked.

"Fine," Dean answered. "How many bought it?"

"Two I'm afraid," Zed replied. "And a third is critical."

"Understood." Dean said. "Select a couple of men and carry him out. The rest will proceed to clear out the building. How many remain?"

"Body count suggests one wolf, the thaumaturge, and the Commander." Zed told him as the reentered the hall. Bodies littered the floor, most were wolves riddled with holes or stab wounds. Dean didn't allow himself more than a cursory glance to assess the situation, even though he felt the deceased deserved more than that. The rest of the two Hexes continued to sweep the hall until they reached the last cell, but stopped at the sound of a voice.

"That's close enough!" Commanded a man's tone. "I don't know how it is you can resist my magic but I have a feeling you have come for this old woman. She's took weak for tear gas or any of your toys. If you want her alive then get back or I will kill her."

The man's serious tone sent a chill down Dean's spine. This man, had be the thaumaturge because he didn't act like a wolf, was cornered and he knew it. His only way out was a hostage and he had a very valuable hostage in his grasp. However, he had planned for this.

"Withdraw!" Dean ordered and the Hexes obeyed. The retreated slowly down the hall and back up onto the stage. "Clear out the building! Code 7741, now!"

Some of his men obeyed, but the code he had barked signaled to his men hidden in the shadows for a danger-close sniping mission. Since all had been implanted with an upgraded BSS implant, they were invisible to the thaumaturge's _sixth sense._ They were to shoot to disable and nothing more, the Doge wanted the thaumaturges alive if possible.

Since he was still in charge he decided to stay in case he needed to call an unforeseen shot. He stole behind a column next to a sniper and waited. The old woman appeared after several heart pounding moments being shoved forward by the thaumaturge.

"I know you are out there!" He called, trying to keep Commander Benoit in front of him at all angles. "Come out and show yourselves! I will kill her!"

The thaumaturge was probably bluffing about knowing they were inside waiting for him. Dean gave the comm. signal to hold position and wait for a clear shot. They were invisible to him and they were going to wait him out.

"I am serious, I will kill her!" The thaumaturge repeated his challenge, but this time there was an answer.

"Grand-mére!"

Dean cursed as he recognized the voice. Scarlet was standing on a balcony, just visible through the ambient light from outside and well within the thaumaturge's reach. She raised her gun but before she could try to aim it she shuddered ever so slightly and redirected the gun to her own head.

"Well, well. What have I here?" The tone of the thaumaturge changed from a determined and serious escapee to a sinister puppeteer. "So not all of your people are immune. Interesting, tell me my dear, who are you?"

"Scarlet Benoit." The impetuous young girl replied, her voice strained from what Dean could tell was futile resistance.

"Ah, the granddaughter!" The thaumaturge correctly assumed.

"Let my grand-mére go!" Scarlet demanded.

"You are in no place to demand anything girl." The thaumaturge chuckled. "But tell me this, is there anyone else in this room?"

"Yes." Scarlet answered.

"Where?" The thaumaturge asked. Scarlet told him and Dean risked a glance. One of his men had chosen a spot that from the stage was blinded by light from outside, but from Scarlet's elevated position she would be able to make him out. He cursed again.

"Come on out or I will have the girl shoot herself." The thaumaturge threatened.

"Lead, I have a shot, should I take it?" A welcomed sound broke over Dean's comm. He quickly looked at Scarlet and then the thaumaturge and ran the risks.

"Wait, if you hit him he could send her a reflex and she could pull the trigger." dean replied.

"What should I do?" The sniper asked. "If he moves I'll lose the shot."

"I'll handle it," Dean thought quickly, running more odds in his head. "On the sound of my shot, disable him."

"Yes sir." Was the reply.

Dean nudged the sniper next to him and motioned for his rifle. The sniper handed it to him and Dean took aim at Scarlet's arm. Lucky for him he paid attention to his anatomy courses. This was going to be tricky, with a little luck he could make the shot, if not, Miss Benoit would have to shop for a new hand. Oh well, he had warned her. He aimed, breathed, and shot.

The mark was true, the bullet passed through Scarlet's arm and severed her Median Nerve. Now she couldn't pull the trigger no matter how much the thaumaturge want her to. The second shot sounded and another cry of pain, Dean looked back at the stage to see two of his men climbing up and pulling the old woman away from a thrashing form on the floor.

Dean left the thaumaturge to his subordinates, he had a wound to bind and a lecture t give. Running up the stairs followed by another officer, he reached the balcony where Scarlet lay cradling her arm. He pulled off his helmet and approached cautiously so she could him clearly, she was hurt and still had one good hand to pull that trigger. She bit down on her tongue as he took it and his man began to work on it.

"Someone shot me!" She cried out through the pain.

"Yeah, me!" He announced. Scarlet glared at him, he glared back. "What did I tell you?"

"Didn't think you were serious." Scarlet said. "I heard gunshots and yelling and..."

"It was a battle, Miss Benoit, that is what battles sound like." Dean answered.

"And then I saw her and...well I had to do something!" Scarlet hissed in pain. "Don't you have any painkillers?!"

"Not for you," He said calmly. "You could have blown our mission, not once but twice, with your antics. That could have cost your grandmother her life, so I think it appropriate that you suffer a little pain from a battle wound. Certainly is more dignified than me bending you over my knee and giving you a sound spanking."

She turned away glaring. "I'm sorry, it's just she is my grandmother. She's all I have."

"That may be true." He said sitting next to her. "But you want to know what else is true, she's not all you'll ever have. She's an old woman, she's lived her life, you have a long time to live. You want to make her happy, get married and have lots of grandkids of your own. In my experience, grandmothers like that sort of thing."

There was silence then as Scarlet stared off into the shadows, considering Dean's words. Dean breathed the peace in, the first quiet moment in her presence for days. "Do you here that?" He asked.

"No, hear what?" She replied.

"Nothing, isn't wonderful." She glared at him again and he shrugged it off as he rose. "Come on, let's go see your old lady."

Dean and his man helped Scarlet down to the stage where her grandmother laid on the floor with two medics attending to her. She was a frightful sight as he had ever seen, as thin as a skeleton and bandages everywhere. Their torture had been brutal but ultimately ineffective. Dean shook his head, so dependent on their glamour were Lunars that when they met someone who could resist their power they were usually unprepared and at a loss with alternative methods.

"Grand-mére!" Scarlet called to her grandmother's prostrate form.

"Scar...?" The old woman whimpered. Scarlet tried to bolt to her grandmother, but Dean held her back.

"How is she?" He asked.

`" She's in pretty bad shape, sir" The medic replied. "She's a tough old bird that's for sure but they put her through devil's fire. She'll pull through but we need to get her to the hospital."

"I want to speak to her!" Scarlet demanded. Dean gave her a sharp look.

"Is the Commander still lucid?" He asked.

"At the moment, but we just about to put her into a medically induced coma." The medic protested.

"Let me...speak to her." The old woman ordered.

"You heard the Commander." Dean said. The medic was about protest again, but Dean cut him off.

"Ok, but two minutes only." The medic stepped back. Scarlet rush to her grandmother and hugged her until her grandmother grunted in pain.

"Grand-mére, Grand-mére. I found you!" Scarlet cried.

"Oh, Scarlet what are you doing here?" Her grandmother admonished. "You were supposed to be in hiding."

"She wouldn't shut up until the Godfather 'invited' as a guest on the expedition," Dean explained, allowing for some of his irritation to make it in his tone. "then she jumped out of a plane without a deceleration pack."

"Scarlet, my brave, foolish girl." Her grandmother patted her cheek. "Am I the only one you'll listen to, even half of the time?"

Dean left them to themselves and walked over to the circle of men on the other side of the stage. There he found the captive thaumaturge, his wound bound. He had a strange far-off glassiness in his eyes.

"How is he?" Dean asked.

"He'll live," Zed said.

"And the truth serum?"

"Working as expected, he'll tell us the Queen's deepest secrets no matter how much he reveres her." Zed smiled sadistically. "We do have bad news though. Final sweep in the basement revealed no one else, we're still short one wolf."

"What?!" Dean cried. "Did you ask him where his pet is?"

"Not yet." Zed confessed. Dean kneeled next to the thaumaturge. He was a willowy and lean, with dark wavy hair and near black-eyes glassed over. He wore the red coat of a second class thaumaturge.

"Your name is Jael?" Dean asked him.

"Yes." The lunar answered, tone emotionless.

"You're one wolf short," Dean informed him. "Where is he?"

"I do not know." The prisoner replied.

"Why?" Dean demanded.

"He never reported back after I sent him to Toulouse." That made Dean raise an eyebrow.

"What was his business in Toulouse?"

"He was to befriend Scarlet Benoit and learn if she knew anything regarding the location of Princess Selene before bringing her to us." That was a dangerous plan, wolves were not always dependable when left unattended.

"Why risk leaving her alone with a wolf?" He asked.

"Because Alpha Zeév Kesley is different." The thaumaturge answered.

"Different how?" Dean pressed.

"He is tamer."

_Tamer?_ Dean thought. What the thaumaturge had probably meant was that the lone wolf was more in touch with his human side than most others of his kind. Interesting but an alpha and still dangerous, they needed to find him.

"Describe him in detail." Dean ordered and listened to the thaumaturge's description. It confirmed what he had expected, this alpha was the same wolf they had tracked around Toulouse but had lost. His thoughts returned to the wolf he had killed in the cell below, the child like fear in his eyes at the end. He wondered.

"Alright Zed, get in touch with HQ and tell them we completed our objectives and are now going after a lone wolf. We are going to capture him alive if possible." He got up and turned around.

He saw the medics had gotten the Commander on a stretcher and were beginning to transport her out of the building. Scarlet was by her grandmother's side, holding her hand. The girl turned to face him, turned to look at her grandmother, then returned to face him. With a sigh she let go of her grandmother's hand and walked towards him.

"Specialist Dean. I..." She hesitated as she swallowed something. "I wanted to thank you and apologize. I haven't been the best guest." She was silent.

"Your old lady chastised you." He correctly assumed. He offered her his hand and she took it. With a good shake he said, "Good, apology accepted. Now run along Red, or old lady's hover."

Scarlet let go and bolted for the doors after the medics, leaving Dean to look on. He allowed himself to admit that despite the grief she had caused him, he liked her. She was tough, independent, loyal, loving, and (in her own pigheaded way) smart. Except for a lack of control, she was his kind of girl, too bad she still just a kid. If he was ten years younger, he might just chase her.

He let the thoughts go. Time to focus on his next mission, one he hoped would not involve death.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: Face-Off  
**

She was leaning against one of the columns that flanked the doorway to the gardens, holding a goblet of gold wine in one hand and pressing the fingers of the other against her smiling red lips. Her figure was perfection. Her posture could not have been more poised had she been carved from the same stone as the pillar. She wore a royal blue dress that shimmered with what were probably diamonds yet gave the very distinct impression of stars in an endless summer sky.

In addition to the queen, a lunar guard stood just within the doorway, stark red hair swept up from his brow like a candle flame. The queen's two thaumaturges also lingered nearby, awaiting their mistress's orders. Everyone of them was strikingly beautiful, almost as much as their queen.

"You love him," said the queen, followed by another spill of laughter. "I suppose you thought he loved you as well, and that love would make a proposal to me impossible?! How charmingly naive." The queen laughed again. "Yes, I know why you are here little girl. You must misunderstand my culture, as your father clearly neglected to instruct you. On Luna, we consider monogamy to be nothing more than archaic sentimentality. What do I care if my husband-to-be is in love with another..."-she paused around, her dark eyes sweeping over Cinder's cybernetic hand and leg-"woman."

Terror wrapped around Kai's throat as the queen's eyes seemed to pierce right through Cinder's mask. Kai was frightened for Cinder, for though she lied and used him, she was nothing like Levana, and he shuddered at the thought of what Levana would do to Cinder if she got her hands on her. Could she tell if Cinder was Lunar through the mask, did she know? Where was the Doge?!

"What does concern me," continued Queen Levana, her voice a sweet lullaby that sharpened with her next words, "is that it appears my betrothed has fallen in love with an insignificant shell. Am I mistaken?"

The thaumaturges nodded in agreement, their eyes fixed on Cinder. "She certainly has the smell of one," said Sybil Mira.

Kai creased his brow. According to what Cinder and just told him, she wasn't actually a shell. Perhaps they didn't know, or had overheard and were making that insult to mock her.

"Kai?" Cinder asked. "Did you just hear someone, or was that just the wind."

Silence returned full force. Kai spied Levana's eyes narrow on Cinder and her head thaumaturge hiss. Kai then realized that Cinder had never been looking at Levana, the only one in the room to do so. Suddenly Cinder did turn to face the Lunar Queen, a mysterious enchantress facing the divine queen.

"Oh, Levana!" Cinder exclaimed. "I didn't see you there. Forgive me, you just blend so well with the background, if you wish to be noticed next time I suggest you speak up."

Kai choked on Cinder's reprisal. What could she be thinking?! She was no match for the Lunar Queen, even if she did possess Lunar magic.

Kai abandoned Cinder, marching toward the queen . "Your Majesty, I apologized for this disruption," he said. "But we need not make a scene in front of my guests."

The queen's charcoal eyes flashed with the warm ballroom light. "It seems you're perfectly capable of making a scene without my help." She turned her smile into a playful pout. "Oh, dear, it seems that I'm more hurt than I thought I was by your fickleness. I believed I was to be your personal guest tonight." Again her eyes caressed Cinder's mask. "You _can't _think her prettier than me. After all, she is wearing a mask." She reached out a fingernail and traced it along Kai's jaw. "My dear, are you _blushing_?"

Kai slapped Levana's hand away, but before he could respond, she turned toward Cinder and her expression filled with disgust. "What is your name child?"

"My name?" Cinder repeated in a astonished tone. "For a woman who seeks to win an emperor's hand you know surprisingly little about your competition. However I will indulge you, if only for this one time. My name is Cinder."

_"Cinder."_ A condescending laugh. "How fitting. Ashes. Dirt. _Filth._"

"Yes," Cinder agreed to Kai surprise. She lifted her cybernetic hand, looking over it. "I suppose I am ashes, dirt, and in general, filth. But how could you know that Levana? Oh, I know, it just like that old Terran saying, how does it go? Oh, yes, now I remember, _'it takes one to know one,'_ eh Levana!"

"That's enough-" started Kai, but Levana breezed past him, the sparkling dress swaying over her hips. She held her wine glass aloft, as if prepared to compliment the emperor on such a pleasant dinner party.

"Your insolence child is amusing for the moment, but I think we are digressing from the real issue. My thaumaturge tells me you are 'from' Earth. Tell me, Cinder," she said, "what poor sapling Earthen did you steal that name from?"

The queen sniffed when Cinder didn't respond. "You shells," she said, her voice rising for the crowd. "You think you're so clever. So you stole a chip from a dead Earthen's wrist. So you managed to slip into the government's system. So you think you pass as human, that you can exist here without any repercussions. You are fools."

"Your Majesty, she's not Earthen..." Kai started.

"I know that!" Levana snapped. The queen turned back to the emperor. "Not only harboring Lunars but also cavorting with them. I am disappointed in you, Your Majesty." She clucked her tongue. "The fact that this girls lives within your borders proves that you are in violation of the Interplanetary agreement. I take the blatant disregard of such a statute quite seriously, Emperor Kaito. In fact, it could warrant a call to war. I insist that this traitor be taken into captivity and returned to Luna immediately. Jacin?"

The second Lunar guard stepped out of the crowd. Without warning, he grasped Cinder's wrists, pinning them behind her. Cinder made no sound as if expecting this all along.

"Stop!" Kai rushed toward Cinder and grabbed her elbow. He tugged her toward him and she stumbled, but the guard did not loosen his grip.

The guard pulled Cinder back again and her arm, made slippery by the fabric of her sleeve, was torn from Kai's grip.

"Let her go!" Kai said, appealing to the queen. "This is absurd. She isn't a fugitive, she's the daughter of the Grand Doge! She has diplomatic immunity!"

Levana quirked one slender eyebrow. Her glittering eyes surpassed Kai, staring into Cinder with a gaze both beautiful and cruel. "If memory serves, Your Majesty, you banned the Grand Doge, and thus his family, from your realm on pain of death. While that ban does not extend into his embassy, he nor she is there, thus they are in violation of your own edict. Diplomatic immunity does not apply to them anymore so I'll take the girl, you can have the old fossil."

"I do resemble that remark." The Doge's voice sounded. The old man appeared from the crowd, hands resting on his walking stick, seemingly unconcerned his daughter was in the grip of a Lunar guard. "I am an old fossil, well said Levana. However in addressing the emperor's edict, we are his personal, invited, guests, so as long as the party lasts, said ban is void. If you do not believe me, check the law books. Now let my daughter go."

The guard didn't move a muscle, merely holding Cinder in place. The Doge sighed. "Iko, if you please."

There was a blur of red and sound of swirling fabric. Then Kai saw the end of a contest, partially obscured by Cinder's form. Iko had gotten the guard to let go of Cinder, something painful as he yelped in pain, and was twirling the guard around and shoved him away. The guard stumbled toward the queen, trying to regain his footing but fell.

The first guard reached like lightening for his sidearm, before he could aim, Iko, holding the sidearm from the second guard, fired the pistol. The round hit the first guard's gun, knocking it out of his hand. The weapon flew through the air and landed near Iko, who picked it up and put them...somewhere. Iko now crouched in a defensive stance in front of Cinder, with her signature karambits in hand. She looked like a fierce tiger, eyeing the rising guard with an intense gaze and wicked smile. "No more of that Levana, or I will be forced to start carving your men up, and really rather not ruin such handsome faces."

"Thank you my dear," the Doge said to Iko and she nodded back. "Cinder, the Lunar queen has accused you of being a fugitive from her law. How will you answer that?"

Cinder shrugged. "I confess, it is true. I am a fugitive from her wraith on the moon. I was brought to Earth as a young child, I do not know from where my ID chip came from, I was in a coma when I got it. Needless to say I have lived with a stolen identity in the Commonwealth until I was adopted by you, father. For which I am most grateful." She gave the Doge a respectful curtsy. "But I will go one step further and confess to everything Levana seeks to accuse me of. She will say that shells are a threat to her society, a danger to Luna's _ideal_ culture. This is true, shells are because they cannot be brainwashed into compliance."

She began to pace back and forth, like a lawyer addressing a jury. The queen's lips tightened, hardening like plaster on her face. A sudden burst of rain behind her shook the windows.

"And not just for her culture," Cinder continued, "but for all Terrans as well. She'll tell you that shells and Lunar fugitives in general are a plague, quite literally. I refer to your so called blue fever, Letumosis, that has wreaked such havoc on your citizens. And, of course, your own royal family. If your scientists haven't come to the conclusion already, I will tell you. Many Lunar fugitives, gifted and ungifted, are carriers of Letumosis. They brought it to Earth. They continue to spread it. It is true."

Cinder turned and faced Linh Adri, standing at the edge of the crowd near the Doge, flanked by her daughters. "Even I brought the disease into the home of a innocent family and caused the death of a husband and father. For that I am truly sorry step-mother." She bowed deeply to the Linh family.

"How noble of you to confess the truth before all the world." Levana interrupted, taking advantage of the solemn moment. "You must also see the truth, the fact that you should be dead. It would be so much better for everyone if you were."

Cinder rose from her bow and turned back to Levana. "Perhaps you are right, Levana. I am a monster," Cinder said as she raised her cybernetic hand before her, "I am not even remotely human anymore, a Lunar Cyborg. As you would say on the moon, _death would be merciful_, but aren't we forgetting someone? Why should I, the creation, be punished for merely being what I am when my creator walks free. Free to create even more monsters. Tell me Levana, as the Lunar Queen, what punishment would you decree for the author of my monstrosity?"

Levana stood in silence. "I would decree the same punishment for the creator as I will do for the creation." She answered.

"Very good Levana," replied Cinder. "Now, if I were to reveal my creator, would you punish that person?"

"Of course I would!" Levana declared. "Who is responsible for your existence?! Reveal him to me and I will grant you the favor of watching him died first."

"Oh Levana, do you not recognize me?" Cinder asked in mocking surprise. "It must be the mask, it hides my worst features. Without it, everyone would recognize me."

"Then remove your mask," Levana ordered. "I tire of this game and your insolence."

"You want me to take my mask off?" Cinder asked, her mocking tone growing. Levana frowned deeply and Kai was worried that she might have Cinder killed on the spot. "Are you sure?"

"You dare to talk to your queen this way!" Mira snapped. That was unusual for her, always cool and in control. "Take off your mask, or it will be removed by force." The two lunar guards stepped forward menacingly, but the Grand Doge made no counter move to protect his daughter, he motioned Iko away from her cousin and simply stood to the side, watching.

"All right then, _Your Majesty._ If you insist." If Kai had thought Cinder's tone mocking before, it was even more so now. Cinder reached dramatically for the mask with her cybernetic hand, making a great show of it. With a slight bow to Levana, Cinder pulled off the mask.

Kai had wished she hadn't. She was, in a word, revolting. So revolting that Kai almost vomited, and he wasn't the only one. The entire room seemed to become sick the instant Cinder removed the mask, even those out of sight of her face.

This was not the Cinder he had come to know, this face was gouged bloody red spots, bright pink and glossy in others. In a moment he realized they were the result of severe burns, the skin so warped and twisting that Kai could almost see the flames scorching it. Wait, there were flames, small and subtle, but still burning, the flesh still boiling. There was no nose, only ragged holes that wheezed softly as Cinder breathed. Swollen and disfigured, only the slits of her eyes could be seen, and the mouth! Lips had been melted off for the most part, leaving the mouth twisted open revealing teeth in a twisted sneer. In all it left Kai with the impression of a face of melted wax, prepared by a sick artist.

Where she had elegantly arrayed hair before cascaded fire, rolling and twisting with every move she made. She wasn't just revolting, but terrifying, no longer the becoming, if mysterious, enchantress, but an avenging demon. A realization hit him hard, _no make-up he knew off could hide that_! How had she done it, hidden such a disfigurement from him? Was this her glamour?

A shrieking sound of terror like a young child torn Kai from his thoughts. His first assumption, that it came from within the on looking, and gagging, crowd proved false. It was Queen Levana! She was on the floor, having fallen on her rear at the first glimpse, and was trying to scoot herself away on her hands but seemed to lack basic coordination. Cinder, ascending the stairs, approached her.

"Do you recognize me now, _Aunt Levana_?" She asked. "I would have thought the cybernetic hand and leg would have been enough for you, I guess I was wrong."

_Hand? Leg? Aunt Levana?_ Kai thought as some deeply buried thought caught up to the present and burst forth into his conscious mind. _They never found a body...charred remains of a hand and leg..._

"Galaxies!" Kai swore. "You're Princess Selene!" Cinder turned to face him and he flinched under horrifying, fiery, countenance.

"In the flesh, so to speak, Your Majesty." She turned back to Levana. "He recognizes me aunt Levana, do you not? Speak woman, this display does not suit one with the title Lunar Queen. Speak."

Levana still tried to scoot herself away. She cast a glance at her guards and then at her thaumaturges, but they were reeling away from Cinder's ghastly sight along with the crowd. Then, as if force to by some invisible hand, face her niece. "Yes," she confessed. "I recognize you! But I'm not your..."

"Author, creator, _instigator?_" Cinder finished. "Come now aunt Levana, why do you lie to yourself, it will not help you in the end. Who caused the fire in my nursery that ravaged me so and led to my artificial nature? You. Who rules Luna with such tyranny that the subjects flee? YOU! Who deprives the Earth of the antidote to Letumosis that you subjects bring? **YOU!** And who, even now, plans to marry an emperor, murder him, and use his kingdom to conquer the world just to satisfy her own personal demons? **YOU! YOU! YOU!**"

"I'm afraid it is true, Your Majesty." The doge's affirmation drew Kai's attention away from Cinder and Levana. "She has been spying on Terran leaders every waking moment, violating your own borders with her ships, the hypocrite. Even now she has hundreds of mutant special operatives hiding out in various cities around the world, waiting for the signal for a preemptive strike. Even in New Beijing."

"How do you know this?" Kai demanded.

"I have been tracking her movements for years, and just a little while ago I got the final confirmation I needed to be sure of her every move. Cress, you can introduce yourself dear." The blond girl in the light blue dress stepped out from behind the Doge.

"CRESS?!" Shrieked a new voice. When Kai followed the sound, he found it was Sybil Mira, Levana's first tier thaumaturge, in obvious disarray.

"Yes, Cress. Shame on you for depriving the world of such a gracious young lady. Go on child, tell the emperor." The Doge gently pushed Cress forward.

"It's, it's true Your Majesty." The girl confirmed, hesitantly. "I'm the queen's programmer and I have been hacking into Earthen Leader's secured communications and masking Lunar ships as they come through with jamming signals."

"But you're just a kid!" Kai exclaimed.

"Some would say that about you, Your Majesty, but that does not prevent you from being emperor. Clearly Cress can't give you a full statement at the time, but she will be made available for debriefing at your earliest convenience. As for her satellite, my men have confiscated it and too will be made available to your specialists for confirmation. It has some very incriminating evidence."

"No!" Sybil Mira shrieked again and rushed to Cress. Before she had gone half way, Iko intercepted her, and with a sickening crack to Sybil's head, rendered the thaumaturge unconscious.

Kai looked back at the confrontation between Cinder and Levana. To his alarm, he saw the two Lunar guards rush the lost Lunar Heir. He needed not worry, for before they reached Cinder they collapsed on the floor and shook violently, as if possessed by a demon. Next, members of the crowd began to rush Cinder and they too collapsed to the floor. Kai realized what was happening, Cinder and Levana were waging a war with their Lunar magic. He was afraid that the crowd would be used as cannon fodder in this conflict and many would be hurt.

"Enough Levana," Cinder shouted. In three rapid steps, she closed the distance to her aunt and seized her by the throat with her cybernetic hand. Lifting the terrified queen to her feet by her throat, Cinder shoved Levana into the doors leading to the garden. The queen's body collided with the doors and the burst open. Levana recovered and crawled out into the garden, followed by Cinder. Kai rushed to the door way.

There Kai saw Levana tumble down the stairs, into the garden. In the pouring rain, she stop crawling as Cinder cut off her retreat. The rain seemed to steam off Cinder's still grotesque from.

"Why are you running aunt Levana? Aren't you powerful enough, QUEEN enough, to face what you have done?" Cinder demanded in coldly. "Do you know that I still suffer from nightmares, of the flames scorching my flesh. Do you even know of the pain you cause on Luna with your oppression?"

Levana began to sob.

"Did you even know I can no longer even cry? You look human, Levana, in every way. I on the other hand am a freak with wires and bolts, yet I know despite that I am still human in my heart. Can you say the same?"

"Please," Levana whimpered.

"Mercy? You want mercy? You who have never shown an ounce of pity to the lowest, most helpless of your victims, look for mercy now?" Cinder asked in an incredulous tone. "Why Levana, oh why? I was your niece, how could you have done this to me?"

"You..." Levana struggled to find the words. "You were in my way."

"I was a child!" Cinder bellowed. "I never did anything to you! I understand my mother was as bad as they came, she had to be put down. Stars! Our whole family should have been put down for what they have done all these centuries. But you?! You could have been different, you could have been better! You who lived in the shadow of another, mistreated and abused, you who knew what it was to be a slave, if only an entitled slave. Instead you're worse than they ever were! You tried to burn me alive!

"You would have overthrown me!" Levana whimpered.

"I could have been like a daughter to you!" Cinder pointed out. "You could have claimed me as your own. I would have been yours, Levana, YOURS! I would have loved you, as a daughter would her mother."

"_Love_?" Levana spat. "Is for the weak."

"Really?" Challenged Cinder. "I love. Am I weak?" Levana didn't reply merely cringed at some unseen force. "Yet even with...this!" Cinder thrust her cybernetic hand in front of Levana's nose. "I could have left Luna to you, as long as you proved a good monarch. What am I saying, I would have left Luna to you! I have no desire to rule, but now I find I must, for the sake of the greater good! I have to clean up _your mess_ as well as the mess of every ancestor that sat on the throne!"

Cinder straightened. "As the true heir to the throne of Luna by right of Lunar law, I hereby strip you of your title and authority as Queen."

"No, no, no!" Levana pleaded, her hands grasping at the hem of Cinder's gown. She shove herself away from Cinder and tried to clamber in the opposite direction, but found her way blocked by the Grand Doge.

"It is too late Levana." The Doge walked past Kai and into the rain. "You cannot beat Selene, your shuttle has been confiscated, and your teams of special operatives have been euthanized worldwide, you are trapped Levana. You have lost!"

With this final revelation, Levana collapsed in moans, heavy in grief and soaked in the downpour. Kai watched as Cinder no Selene and the Doge stood over the fallen queen, seeming to study her oblivious to anyone else.

"Well done my daughter." The Doge declared, his voice filled with pride. "What of her?" He gestured to Levana. Selene, considered her aunt's pathetic form on the stone, still sobbing.

"I...I don't know." Selene confessed. "I never knew why you always told me to be merciful to her, but now that I see her, for what she truly is, I can't but have pity on her. I always wonder what kind of person could do the things she does, without any remorse. Now I know, now I understand." Selene turned to the Doge. "There is just nothing inside her, is there? She's empty, completely empty, it's so sad, and...pathetic."

"Yes..." The Doge agreed.

"Was it like this?" Selene asked. "Was it like this all those years ago?"

"Yes and no," The Doge looked at Selene. "I didn't have a mentor to guide me through this difficult time in my life. To prepare me for the choice. And I nearly fell into a state as dark as hers, as dark as...his. As empty and lifeless. But I have prepared you, my daughter, I have taught you everything you need to know. The choice is yours, now. What is to be Levana's fate?" Selene didn't answer. "What will do with her?"

Selene stood there was if forever, staring at her aunt's form. "I could anything, couldn't I, I mean I could do anything I want to her, I could even make her do anything I want."

"Yes," The Doge confirmed.

"It's so different, actually being here in this moment I have waited so long for. I know you told me, but actually being here, feeling it, I never knew..."

"Yes," The Doge replied. "Elation, triumph, satisfaction at your fingertips,...and fear." The Doge paused for a moment. "What will you do with them?"

Selene sighed. "I will set them aside." She turned to the Doge. "I am too close to this, I cannot be as objective as I should. But I trust that you can, so I will turn her over to you. Do with her as you see fit."

The Doge bowed to Selene. "Then I shall take charge of her, Your Majesty." He rake the stone twice. For a second nothing happened, then Kai saw the shadows move, but they weren't shadows, they were men. Dressed in some kind of active camouflage suits, four men stepped on the stone walkway. "Men," the Doge ordered. "seize the former queen of Luna and her head thaumaturge. Take them to my hover and put them under guard."

Two of the Doge's men picked up Levana's body and carried her into the ballroom, following the other two, who picked up the unconscious Sybil Mira. The two women were carried to the hall leading out of the palace. To Kai's surprise, no one had fled through the whole affair, as if transfixed by some force through the entire event.

Kai felt a force tug his attention back to the garden. He saw Selene, but she wasn't what she was before. Her image had changed from a grotesque, fiery demon, to a goddess, even more radiant and beautiful than Levana ever was. Even with the cybernetic limbs and soaking gown, she was glorious, perhaps even more glorious with them. She was so beautiful that Kai thought his eyes would burn away, the pain was so great, yet he couldn't turn away. She walked past him and into the ballroom, everyone stared at her captivated by her awesome countenance.

"Thaumaturge Aimery," Selene called in a voice both sweet and terrible. "Step forward." The second-tier thaumaturge emerged out from the crowd. He seemed terrified., shaking so much he could barely walk. He stepped in front of Selene and knelt. She extended her cybernetic hand and the thaumaturge hesitated. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

The thaumaturge quickly took her metal hand and kissed it. Then he stood and said: "All hail Queen Selene of Luna!"

The crowd then bowed as one. All except Kai, who stood behind the new Lunar Queen, transfixed by the scene. He turned back to Selene and noticed she was looking at him from the corner of her eye. She turned her gaze away, back to the crowd and everyone straightened as one.

"Father, I am...tired. I wish to go home." Selene said.

"Yes, of course." The Doge replied. " Right this way, my dear. You," he pointed at the thaumaturge, "waken the guards and follow us." He led his daughter and the thaumaturge with the guards through the floor as the crowd parted for them, leaving a trail of water. Kai followed them and had to be careful not to slip. When they had reached the top of the entrance hall, Selene continued on with a word from her father while he stayed behind. The Grand Doge turned to the Emperor. "I am sorry Your Majesty."

"Sorry?" Kai asked, bewildered. "Sorry about what?"

"Commandeering your party with our theatrics of course." the Doge chuckled. "I know this was supposed to be your night, I hope you can forgive us."

"Of course." Kai replied. He wanted to say something else but he didn't know what.

"The next few days are going to be busy, Your Majesty." The Doge stated. "When things do calm down, perhaps my daughter and I could stop by for a visit?"

"Yes, yes of course!" Kai answered. Somehow, through that mask of hard iridium, Kai knew the Doge was giving him a friendly smile.

"Very good!" The Doge turned to leave.

"Uncle!" Kai and the Doge turned to see Iko and the girl Cress, climbing the stairs. "Uncle, may we stay a while longer?" Iko asked, sounding like a little girl pleading despite the fact she in the image of a mature woman.

The Doge laughed. "But of course, Iko. You both have earned it. I'll send the hover to pick you up when you are ready."

"Really?!" Cress asked. The Doge tilted his head to the side.

"Yes, really Cress. Besides,_ you _are going to have so little time to yourself these next few days. I suggest you get your fill of fun and excitement before then." The Doge touched Cress's nose playfully, as one would do to a toddler. He then turned to the silently waiting crowd in the ballroom. "That goes for all of you! Stop standing around gaping! This is a party is it not, so PARTY! Talk! Dance! Have FUN!"

And with a swish of his robe, he disappeared down the hall.

The crowd exploded in cheer. Voices talked, music played, and feet danced. The din of it all was almost unbearable to Kai, but it was his party and he had quests to attend to. He walked into the crowd, being cheered and congratulated every step he made.

Then a glint of light from the floor caught his eye. He followed it through the forest of legs and skirts. He reach down and picked it up, it was Cinder's mask that Selene had dropped. Kai held it in his hands. It was heavy, worth a fortune, made of iridium, a most precious metal, expertly engraved and beautifully casted in the face of a woman. The face of Cinder, a girl he had come to know, to depend on; it was the mask of an enchantress. A mask behind which a princess, Selene, hid.

He had looked for her and she was right under his nose the whole time! He had hoped to use her against her aunt, but instead she had used him. How was one supposed to feel? Angry? Relieved? Happy? Then what she had said earlier to him returned to his mind and realized that although Levana was gone, he still had to deal with marriage to the Lunar Queen. _How does she feel?_


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Aftermath**

The next four days went by in a blur. It was always meetings, meetings, meetings; in the palace and out; with local representatives or world leaders. The full scope of Levana's plans were unveiled and confirmed by every nation's team of experts. During each conference Kai sat in as he was suppose to but never paid much attention to the details, instead he fiddled with the mask, weighing another problem.

How did he feel about Selene? She had led him on, used him, but in the end had save him, his kingdom, and even the world.

How did she feel about him? She was a Lunar monarch and everyone of them had been corrupt and evil. Did she see him as a person or as a thing, an object, a tool to own and wield to her will?

What of her father? He had taken her in and 'taught' her. But what had he taught her, and how well did she learn?

All of these questions could be answered at the lunch he was scheduled to have with the new Lunar Queen and her Father. Dare he want to know the answers?

He would be having this gathering with the Lunar Queen and her father alone, something Torin disapproved of, but Kai held his ground. He would do this alone, he had to.

The day the lunch arrived and Kai was anxious. He hadn't seen the new Lunar Queen since that night, no one had, nor her father. They had spent the last four days in isolation in their embassy, all their statements for the meetings were pre-recorded.

What could they be doing in there, Kai had no idea. Some of the more suspicious populous concluded that the Lunar Queen and the Grand Doge were collaborating too take over the world, just as Levana had done. Kai merely chuckled when he heard the opinions expressed over the net. He didn't think there was anything to them, but he couldn't help but wonder..._What were they doing?_

Still wondering, Kai stood near the garden's pavilion, watching as the final preparations were made for the lunch. The table had been set the finest assortment of dishes and utensils the Commonwealth had to offer.

_Not that it would impress the expected guests_, Kai thought turning the mask over in his hands. He had it checked, as he had expected it was masterful work, alone it was worth more than the entire spread set on the table five times over. Such masks were common for the Netherone family, the oldest and richest Belter family. A family that now controlled not only the Belt but Luna as well. What did that mean for him and his kingdom?

"You Majesty," one of the footmen announced, pulling Kai out of his thoughts. "Your guests have arrived." He gestured to the far side of the pavilion. Kai saw the Grand Doge emerge from behind the shrubbery, followed by Selene. The Lunar Queen was dressed in a fairly plain lavender suit with nothing to distinguish her royal status from a well to do commoner except for a small tiara of lunar diamonds on her head. Her father wore a plain suit himself of charcoal grey and a mask. Kai noticed the mask was different from the other masks he had worn, there were no glowing sensor orbs, it was completely smooth as it was reflective. How the Doge could see through it, Kai couldn't say, but the man found his way easily.

Kai approached the pavilion. "Welcome Your Majesty, Your Grace. Thank you for joining me for lunch I hope you will approve of the menu I have selected." Kai motioned to the Doge to take his seat and pulled Selene's chair for her, then he sat down himself. With the snap of his fingers the servers brought their meal.

"Lobster Bisque?" Selene asked, raising an eye brow.

"In honor of the first day we met." Kai explained. "You said you enjoyed it and I arranged for the R.U.R. restaurant to cater our meal. Since you will be leave for Luna tomorrow, this could be the last time you have it for a while. I don't think the Lunar Queen will be getting much of it on the moon." Selene and her father exchanged looks, then burst out laughing.

"Did I say something amusing?" Kai asked when he could figure what was so funny.

"Oh, it's just that, heh, heh, my father owns that restaurant. He's having the chef that prepares it sent with me to Luna." Selene explained.

Kai looked at the Doge whose mask hid none of the amused body language. He leaned back in his chair. "Why am I not surprised? In fact I don't know why I am ever surprised, with everything that has happened in the last two weeks!"

"It has been a very full fortnight, Your Majesty." Agreed the Doge. "Shall we eat?" Kai and Selene proceeded to eat, making pleasant conversation about the weather, since apparently none existed on the moon. Kai kept trying to turn the conversation back to the series of events that had swept him to the present. However, each time he came close he lost his nerve and began to fiddle with the mask hidden in his tunic. Ever present in his mind the nervous thoughts; _What does Selene think of me? How does she feel about me? How do I feel about her?_

Then he noticed that the Doge had yet to touch his soup nor had he even taken off his mask. "Your Grace," he called attention to the Doge "you haven't touched your bisque? Is it not to your liking?"

"Not at all Your Majesty," The Doge replied. "However I suspect that my lack of enjoying the meal is not the main question you desire to ask." The Doge rose from his chair. "Perhaps His Majesty would like to accompany me on a walk through his beautiful gardens?"

Kai sensed that the Doge was giving him a chance to talk privately away from Selene and took it. When the men had walked far enough from the pavilion not to be overheard, the Doge resumed speaking. "I hear your chief advisor fired you security chief last week."

"Yes, my chief of security failed miserably to set arrangements for my trip to meet the Queen in the park. Had it not been for Iko, she could have been killed." Kai explained.

"Well if I were you, I would rehire the man." the Doge advised.

"Why?" Kai asked with a raise eyebrow.

"Because the incident to which you refer was not his fault, he was glamoured by a lunar deep into your confidence." Kai's first thoughts turned to Levana and Sybil Mira, and his hatred returned.

The Doge divined Kai's thoughts. "I don't speak of the former Queen or her thaumaturge, and before you jump to conclusions nor was it my daughter."

"Then who?" Kai asked.

"Your former head of Letumosis research, Dr. Erland." The Doge's revelation hit Kai hard.

"He was...Lunar?" Kai asked. Another thought formed in his mind and it fueled him with anger. "That traitor! No wonder we never got anywhere with our research!"

"I warned you about jumping to conclusions Your Majesty." The Doge admonished. "you do the doctor a great injustice, calling him a traitor, he was no such thing. He actively pursued a cure for the disease and every advance you made were the result of his loyal diligence. However, he also had another task that led him to frame your chief of security for incompetence."

"You see he also was looking the lost Lunar Heir and come to suspect my daughter and needed a blood sample to confirm it. Since my daughter declined he contrived the whole thing to obtain a sample. I found out and had Cinder confront him at the dinner after the Garan-Tai charity event."

"So that is what they were talking about,...and that's why he left. He'd found her."

"Very good Your Majesty, he did find what he was looking for and now works for my daughter." The Doge chuckled. "In fact he got more than he bargained for, the girl my men retrieved from the surveillance satellite, it turns out that she is his daughter whom he believed dead for these last seven years. Remarkable how the universe works isn't it?" Kai nodded.

"And speaking of daughters I believe you want to discuss mine." Kai didn't respond. "You are nervous, Your Majesty? Speak true for I will know if you are lying."

Kai delayed but a moment to consider the Doge's words. "Yes I am."

"Then I suggest you stop fingering the mask and remove it from beneath your tunic." The Doge said. Kai looked down at where the mask lay under his tunic, he had not noticed that he had begun to fiddle with it again. "Oh, I'm sorry." He apologized as he took the mask out.

"May I?" The Doge asked as he reached for the mask. Kai relinquished the mask into the Doge's hand. The Doge held the mask out in front of him, examining it in the light. "An excellent piece of workmanship by my artisans, don't you agree?"

"Yes, Your Grace," agreed Kai, "it must have cost you a fortune."

"That it did, and Cinder was worth every penny." Kai shot a glance at the Doge at the mention of Selene's alias. The Doge must have seen the look on Kai's face. "You disapprove of me calling Cinder by her name."

"Well it isn't her real name, I thought that once the charade was over and Levana dethroned that everyone would call her by her true name."

"That is what logic would dictate isn't it. That when the mask is cast off the true identity reasserts itself. However, I have found that when one wears a mask long enough the mask leaves its imprint on face of its wearer. The girl that wore this mask has all the potential of the little Princess Selene but over the years has been cast in image of a girl named Cinder." The Doge turned the mask to show Kai the face on it.

"And you, Kai, wish to know who this Cinder truly is, I will tell you. She is my daughter and has known little else."

Kai pondered the Doge's words. "And what you mean by that, I suppose, is she you miniature? Then tell me, Your Grace, who are you?"

The Doge chuckled. "I have found that people are poor representatives of themselves, if you truly want to know who someone is the best way is to take your personal experience and apply it to context of his life. In other words I could give you the context of Cinder's life and she could do the same for me."

"You're saying if I want to understand Cinder, I have to talk to you, but to understand her I have to understand you which means I have to talk to her. That's a paradox, Your Grace!" Kai exclaimed.

"Yes, life is full of them, especially in politics." The Doge replied.

Kai rubbed his temple. "I think my head hurts just thinking about it."

"Good," said the Doge. "that means you're growing. As for a paradox, the only way I have found to deal with those, other than to raze the whole thing, is to start somewhere and then feel your way through. With patience eventually you will unravel the mysteries. The question now is where do you intend to start on the mystery regarding Cinder?" The Doge handed the mask back to Kai, and Kai looked at it for a moment.

"I suppose I can start with you." Kai said. "Since you have made yourself so handy at the moment."

The Doge nodded. "Well then, what would you like to know?"

"First, where has she been all these years? I already know you adopted her only four years ago, that leaves nine years unaccounted for."

"Yes," the Doge mused. "A good place to start, Your Majesty. Would you believe that the Lunar Queen spent the first eight of those years under a barn in France."

"Uh, yes, I guess." Kai replied. "I mean I knew that she was sheltered by someone, probably a woman named Michelle Benoit who is from France and had been to Luna once."

"You were right about Michelle Benoit, and you probably guessed correctly that the princess was hidden in some secret compound for the duration of those years, but what you probably don't know is the fire that took her hand and leg was both more and less severe that people think." The Doge explained.

"Most people are of two schools regarding the fate of Princess Selene. Most believed her dead, burned to ash, a few others believe her alive and well. The truth of the matter was she was never quite dead yet far from truly alive. You remember the vestige Cinder took when she remove her mask at your ball?" Kai nodded, how could he ever forget.

"That is what she looked like, minus the flames. Kept from an inch of death, she was put into a form of suspended animation and left to grow for eight years, much like fungus in a Petri dish. No childhood, no memories, just the deepest form of sleep you can imagine. Fortunately her doctors understood the needs of the mind as well as the body and managed to simulate her mind while in her coma, otherwise Cinder would have immerged as helpless as an infant.

"When she turned eleven she was deemed strong enough to remove her from her vat and the work of repairing the damage and outfitting her with the necessary prosthetics. Then she was used as a guinea pig by a certain Dr. Linh Garan for his prototype Bioelectric Security System implant."

"Yes, Cinder told me about him." Kai commented. "And how he died, but how did you learn of Cinder, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Not at all, Your Majesty." The Doge said. "One of my agents was working undercover when he came across the same of the information you did a little over four years ago. He had a choice to make, complete his mission or follow an absurdly fantastic claim. He chose to abandon his mission and I lost someone very valuable to me, but I gain someone precious as well, from someone that couldn't appreciate her.

"Poor Garan, if he had lived I am sure he would have made Cinder a fine father, but the universe claimed him and Cinder was left in the hands of her bigoted step-mother. That woman of his is a piece of work to be sure, and I paid her quite handsomely for Cinder and her husband's invention, of which I know you will make go use of, Your Majesty."

Kai nodded in agreement. One of the first pre-recorded messages from the Grand Doge was a declaration to grant the Earthen Union full access to the specs and research regarding the BSS implant. Already Kai's own scientists were confirming it to be everything it was cracked up to be and plans were being drawn up for full scale production.

"As for Cinder, I had her and her android 'cousin' brought to Vesta for her own safety and to begin her training. She had much to learn to prepare for her eventual confrontation with Levana and ruling a world. It was a grueling regimen by any account, however, I made sure she had time for fun and to stay connected to the one good thing in her life on Earth. I believed it important that she'd want to stop Levana for a reason more important than claiming a throne. Her relationship with Linh Peony was just the thing she needed to develop the love she will need to be a better ruler than those who came before her. I, myself, have tried being a good father to her." The Doge stopped them and face Kai. "Tell me Kai, what do you feel for your father?"

"I loved him of course, he was everything to me!" Kai answered quickly.

"That is how I hope Cinder feels for me, for it is how I feel for her. She is the child of my heart even if she is not of my blood. These last four days we have spent bonding, doing the little things fathers and daughters do when spending time together, not scheming as many on the net believe." The Doge resumed walking. "This is still, truly a beautiful garden, though changed since I was last here."

"I was not aware you paid a visit to the Commonwealth before." Kai commented.

"Of course not, I wasn't the Grand Doge then, but a young man much like yourself." The Doge clarified. "Excluding the weight of a kingdom and a close call with an evil queen. It was here I met my wife, so many years ago." The Doge said wistfully before returning with a more serious tone. "Which of course brings me to a very important subject, forgive my frankness if I am too direct, but what are your intentions regarding my daughter?"

Kai was speechless, this was direct and he didn't know how to respond. "What do you mean, Your Grace?" Kai asked. "I thought that was just a ploy to get Levana away from Luna."

"You would be right," the Doge confessed, "it was a ploy, but you are wrong if you think it was _just_ a ploy. I have watched you for many years Kai, as I did with your father, and have come to the conclusion that you are a good man as he was. More than that, I believe you to be compatible with my daughter, and beyond the obvious peace that would follow such a union, I think you two could be happy together. I expressed my views on this subject as well as my plans to dethrone Levana with your father before he died, and he agreed. He asked you to pursue a relationship with Cinder, did he not?"

"Yes," Kai grudgingly conceded, the reminder of his own father's death was still a tender spot for him.

The Doge chuckled lightly. "Of course we both agreed that you two were a bit young for marriage and that Cinder's time will be rather limited as she settles in on Luna, but that will change. Your father has granted his blessing and I have granted mine. Nevertheless, in the end it will be your choice and I will abide by it. All that I ask is that you give it a chance."

"I will," Kai consented. "If only to repay you for your service on behalf of my country. But what does Cinder think of the 'arrangement'?"

"You refer to her outburst at the ball. I confess I do not know my daughter's heart regarding this matter as much as I would like. If you wish to know her true feelings towards you I am afraid you'll have to ask her yourself." The Doge declared.

"And what of Levana?" Kai asked.

"What of her?" The Doge returned the question.

"Cinder committed her into your hands for punishment," Kai clarified. "I am curious as to what punishment you deemed worthy of her."

"Exile," the Doge replied. "She and her former thaumaturge have been stripped of their powers and each shipped off to one or another of my countless asteroid mining communities."

"What?!" Kai felt a surge of anger. "You spared her?! What about everything she has done? She deserves to die for all of that!"

"Because there can be no justice without a measure of mercy, Kai." The Doge replied calmly. "We all have done things we are not proud of, I especially. Punishments that only punish will avail no one anything but a desire for more 'satisfaction,' leaving the world blind and toothless. Levana is not entirely responsible for what she has become, and I believe there yet may be a spark of human goodness in her. So therefore, when I have the power to grant mercy and cultivate that spark, without endangering innocence, I take it.

"Nevertheless, do not think that she is not suffering. She will have to live as the lowest of my citizens, learning the most basic of skills, doing the meagerest of tasks. All without the ability to will people to love her, if she wants love she will have to learn to love just as we all do.

"She knows that this is her last chance, I explained all very carefully to her before sending her and Sybil Mira off. My men will watch her and if she proves too far gone, she will be executed. However, she knows that she is free to marry, her less than ideal physical features matter less than a willing heart and a good hand, and there will be many suitable options around her. I expressed to her my desire that she find happiness in a family, with children and the joy they bring. She scoffed at me, but I think I will have the last laugh. I am even willing to restore her power in twenty or so years if she proves herself redeemed, but that is the one thing she does not know."

Kai considered the Doge's point of view. "I don't know if I entirely agree with you, Your Grace." Kai said. "But I can't say you are not among the most remarkable men I have ever known."

"Truly?" The Doge asked, and Kai nodded. "Well that is a welcomed complement, Your Majesty. Thank you. However, before you cement that complement, there is something I would like to show you, but first I'll ask you a question; what do you know of my rise to power in the Belt?"

"Not much," Kai confessed. "I know that only a brilliant diplomat could have united the warring states."

"Yes, I was brilliant, a certified social prodigy, and a brilliant diplomat such as I could have, if he had forty years," The Doge stopped walking and Kai stopped as well." But I did it all in ten, how?"

"I don't know." Kai repeated. The Doge turned to face Kai.

"Then I will show you, but be warned, what you are about to see is disturbing and not for the faint of heart. It has caused the death of more than one. So prepare yourself." Chills went up Kai's back at that statement. He collected himself for a moment, trying to fortify against the unknown.

First what he saw was the reflective mask worn by the Doge changed. It grew transparent and clearer. Soon Kai could see the outline of the man's face, then he saw the face. The Grand Doge was an hideous man, almost as disgusting as Cinder's vestige had been. His face was covered in wicked scars and the color of his skin was mottled in bizarre shades of red, blue, and bruise purple, the same colors of Letumosis.

Kai drew back an involuntary step, but then the Doge changed. He face became brighter, healthier; his body began to glow in the bright summer sun. Brighter and brighter the Doge grew and more god like, until it was like Kai was staring at a sun not two feet from him. He shield his eyes, but it didn't help much, for he could feel the heat and power cascading off the Doge. He backed away further and further but it did him little good, he was being crushed beneath not just the glorious light of a god but the will of a titan. His legs failed, his arms lost their strength, and he fell dumbfounded to the stone path.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Feelings and a Story**

When Kai came to, he was staring at the cloudless blue sky. He didn't know how long he was out, but it couldn't have been too long, he was still gasping for air. The Doge was nowhere in sight. He got up, feeling weak, but managed to get to his feet. He saw Cinder's mask where he had dropped it when the Doge had...what had he done? What was that...sight? Since the Doge had clearly left him, Kai took it as a sign that he was suppose to go back to the pavilion and ask Cinder.

Stumbling on occasion, Kai got back to the pavilion not too worse for wear. He saw Cinder still sitting at the table and talking to a footman. The footman was laughing at something she had said, then immediately straightened at the sight of Kai.

"Your Majesty!" The footman said, whether in alarm for Kai's appearance or his flirtation with the Lunar Queen, Kai did not know.

"Kai?" Cinder said, a tone of concern in her voice. Both She and the footman came to Kai and helped him into a chair. Cinder studied Kai for a moment and when the footman declare his intention to seek medical aid she denied him. "The Emperor is all right Li-Chin, but I think he will like to be left alone for a while. You may go." The footman protested, but Cinder stood her ground and he left.

"He showed you didn't he?" She slipped something into a cup and poured in some tea, then helped Kai to drink it. "Here drink this, it will help." He muttered a thank you as he sipped the tea.

In a minute he did feel better, calmer at least. "What did he do to me?"

"You know what he did, Kai." Cinder replied. "Try to remember what happened to you when Levana was nearby."

Kai tried, stretching back into his memory through his still hazy mind. He remembered the shine on the former queen's face, his sudden need to do anything for her. His awe of her divine beauty...then it hit him. "He used glamour?"

"Yes." Cinder confirmed.

"But how?" Kai wondered. He tried to remember everything he had read about the Grand Doge. "He's not even Lunar."

"Well, no." Agreed Cinder. "At least not technically." He gave her a frown. "It's a long story, Kai, and I doubt you have time to listen to it all today. It is enough that you know he is a magnitude more powerful than Levana and he's even stronger than me, and I have been training with him for three years. But what he possesses in raw power he lacks in fine control, as he showed you just now."

Kai leaned back in his chair. He thought he had seen it all, then the Doge blindsides him with this latest revelation. "I can't figure out your father. When I think I got him understood, he does something like this."

Cinder smiled. "He does that to a lot of people, 'using lies and deception to paint the truth' is how he describes it. 'An artist's talent.' One of the perks to being the Godfather of the Belt, he says."

"Godfather?" Kai asked.

"Yes, that's a title from less reputable circles." Cinder explained. "As I said a long story. So where is my old man anyway?"

"Still in the gardens I suppose." Kai said.

"The old romantic," Cinder shook her head with a smile. "I think I know where he is, would you like to see?" Cinder stood and motioned Kai to follow. He was feeling much better from his encounter with the Doge weary of entering the garden again with the man's daughter.

"Oh come on Kai!" Cinder goaded him on. "I promise I won't stupefy you." He grudgingly complied and followed her into the garden. In a moment they spotted the Doge in the distance and hid behind a short tree. He was sitting down on a bench, then they saw him get up and bowed as if introducing himself to someone else. Then he began to waltz with an invisible partner, Kai felt almost as if he and Cinder were young children spying on their parents' intimately private moment.

Cinder giggled at her father's sweeping movements and a dramatic dipping of his invisible partner.

"I take it you are not a romantic." Kai asked, fingering the mask again.

"No, not really," Cinder replied. "At least not to degree my father is." He handed the mask back to her. "Oh, my mask! I had wonder where I had left that." She said rather insincerely.

"So did you mean it?" Kai asked her. "What you said at the ball?"

Cinder raised the mask to her face to hide her expression, but couldn't hide the humor in her voice. She tilted her head to one side. "And what did I say at the ball?"

Kai frowned. She was teasing him, that was clear, but he still didn't understand if that meant she liked him or was just leading him on. "You said and I quote 'I love you.'"

Cinder lowered the mask, revealing an expression of feigned shame. "Well love is such a strong word, Your Majesty." She turned away and took a couple of steps away before turning back. "I mean I think highly of you, I respect you, I think I may even be attracted to you." She slid closer to him and suddenly Kai felt drawn to her, the fragrance of her perfume drawing his nose closer to her. Her voice took on a deeper, sultry tone. "And what woman wouldn't want and emperor for a husband..."

Kai realized for the first time that his face was less than an inch from Cinders, with eyes half closed and lips parted. he shook himself out of her light grip. At his sudden jerk back, Cinder began to laugh hysterically.

"Ugh! You did it to me again!" He cried in irritation, though any anger he felt melted as he watched her roll on the ground in good humor.

"I...I'm sorry, Kai, heh, heh, you're just such an easy target!" She collapsed back into laughter. "Besides, you get your implant in three days so I got to have all my fun now before you become immune!"

"You want fun?!" Kai asked in feigned menace. He reached for her hand to pulled her up then lifted her over her shoulder. Cinder nearly shrieked in delighted terror as he carried her toward the fountain. "Then you should know that fun in the summer usually evolves water! I hope you're water proof."

"Ahh! Kai, no!" Cinder struggled making Kai lose his balance. "This isn't dignified!" They fell just short of the fountain. Kai, seeing that dunking her was not an option, proceeded to splash the Lunar Queen. She responded in kind. After a couple of minutes the thrill had subsided and they stopped. Wringing some of the water from their clothes, Kai noticed the Doge was still dancing with his invisible partner.

"He's still at it." Kai pointed out.

Cinder shook out her hair. "Of course he is, she was his wife, he loved her."

"She must have been some woman." Kai mused. "What was she like?"

"I don't really know," Cinder frown. "I never met her. She died shortly before I was adopted by him. But I do know the story."

Kai remembered something that the Doge said, about losing someone very valuable to him. "Could you tell it to me?" Cinder smiled. They sat down in the warm sun and started to let the sun dry them off.

"Yeah, I suppose I could. We have enough time for that." Thus she began to spin a story that could only have been a fairy tale, while an old man had stopped dancing and watched them from afar, a hopeful smile growing on his face beneath his mask.

**The End**

(For Now)

Please review, your constructive criticism is appreciated!

Not Coming Any Time Soon

**Don Gibbon Feet**

**Islands of Space: Godfather Rising**

**Islands of Space: Godfather Domination**

**Islands of Space: Godsons**

**The Hextraordinary**

All will involve the Vastion Netherone or his legacy


	23. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**New Lunar Queen Crowned! **_September 17, 126 T.E._

At the Lunar capital of Artemisia yesterday, 3:00pm Greenwich Standard Time, Queen Selene was officially crowned as Queen of Luna. In a ceremony attended by the sovereign rulers of the Earth Union and the Grand Doge of the Belt Confederacy, Queen Selene's coronation deviated greatly from the established Lunar tradition. First was the afore mentioned attendance by foreign dignitaries, second was the participation by said dignitaries in the ceremony. In similar fashion to Earthen coronations, each dignitary contributed a article of Queen Selene's royal outfit as the ceremony progressed.

First came Queen Camilla with the slippers, covered in the staple lunar diamond, representing Queen Selene's restoration to the line of Lunar royalty.

Second came Prime Minster Kamin placing the mantle, embroidered with a history of all the actions of former lunar monarchs in lunar runic, representing the burden of the past.

Third came President Vargas shackling the Armills Bracelets to the queen's wrists, representing wisdom and sincerity, the bond which unites the queen and her subjects.

Fourth came Prime Minister Bromstad placing the Scepter and Orb into Queen Selene's hands, representation of the sphere of influence and executive power, in other words the queen's dominion of Luna and protectorate over it.

Fifth came Governor-General Williams crowning the new queen with the Lunar Diadem, legitimizing her reign.

Last came Emperor Kaito with an iridium mask, inscribed in lunar runic with virtues of the ideal legacy for which Selene will strive for as queen throughout her future reign.

After the fitting of the new royal regalia, Queen Selene gave a speech and signed the Treaty of Bremen officially bringing Luna into the Earthen Union. In her speech, the queen reflected on the crimes of her predecessors and her intention to set a new course for her family.

"Like many new monarchs I intend to bring something new to my kingdom. Something sorely lacking from my family's lineage since the beginning, I intend to bring genuine morality and fellowship with our Earthen neighbors. There will be true peace in our time." The discourse was received by thunderous applause...

**Wedding of the Millennium! **_March 8, 129 T.E._

"Modern Fairytale!" Was how Governor-General Williams described the affair. His sentiments were confirmed by billions of followers on the net as they commented on the wedding.

Following a private ceremony, attended only by the bride and groom's close family and friends, the couple were officially married in a large public ceremony in the New Beijing Palace Grand Hall. The turnout for the invited guests numbered over five hundred dignitaries from Earth, Luna, and the Belt. The reception attendance numbered nearly two-hundred thousand as the whole city came to congratulate the happy couple. An even bigger reception is planned in Artemisia in two days followed by a two week honeymoon. Rumor of an extended holiday through the Belt was denied by both the Eastern Commonwealth and Luna public relation officers, due to the length such a trip would require.

Other than the usual heads of state noted scions of the rival belter main families such as Don Marki Meti of Juno, Dona Zebora Hatte of Ceres, Don Woo-jin Gae of Pallas, Don Ali Seif of Hebe, Dona Querida Altos de Montes of Astraea, among others also came to the celebrations. Much speculation has been circulating about their purpose for traveling so far and some rumors indicate that they were not at the party to wish the bride and groom well...

**Former Grand Doge Passes ** _January 9, 139 T.E._

At age 81 the former Grand Doge of the Belt Confederacy of Independent Asteroid States passed away quietly in his sleep due to complications of an undisclosed chronic illness in the Imperial Palace medical ward surrounded by his family at 8:37 pm Greenwich Standard Time. The death was not unexpected as the former Grand Doge resigned two years ago due to failing health, passing the throne on to long time associate Don Makiki Daku with the approval of the Grand Assembly.

A National day of mourning has been declared in the Belt, Luna, and the Eastern Commonwealth as the city of New Beijing turned out to honor the former head of the Belt Confederacy and Father of their empress. Similar mourning is likely to occur in the rest of the Earthen Union and on Mars. The Grand Doge's sarcophagus was escorted by his daughter and son-in-law with their personal legions of royal guards, in a procession numbering some ten thousand soldiers and stretching a mile, to the spaceport where the body was loaded onto a ship bound to parts unknown. Any questions about where the final resting place of the esteemed leader has only been answered as thus follows "He will rest with his wife."

He is survived by his daughter Queen Selene of Luna, son-in-law Emperor Kaito of the Eastern Commonwealth, and their three children, Princess An, Prince Rikan, and Prince Vastion. An image was taken of the youngest prince saluting his namesake as the former Grand Doge's sarcophagus was carried out of the viewing hall...

**Belt War! ** _April 21, 139 T.E._

At 4:50 am Greenwich Standard Time yesterday, a Junoese cruiser squadron opened fire on a Vestal fortification and two Ceresian transports in the opening shots of what is now confirmed to be the start of a civil war in the Belt Confederacy. The transports were destroyed and the fortress badly damaged and captured in six hours of heavy fighting before the base commander surrendered unconditionally.

The outbreak of hostilities was first predicted by Queen Selene following the assassination of the heads of the main belter families and Grand Doge Daku at the bombing of Eros conference. As she said each family scion would claimed that the others did their leaders in and with the patriotic support of their home asteroids the young scions seized power and began to posture for war. With the failure of the second round of the Artemisia Peace Talks and the pre-emptive strike by Juno's Doge Marki Meti all the asteroids are cementing their alliances and the outlook appears to be a 4-way war to secure rights to the colonization of the outer solar system...

**Peace Accord Signed** _June 2, 144 T.E._

Peace signs bloomed throughout the belt as Doges of the former states of the Belt Confederacy signed the Treaty of Luna, reestablishing the defunct Confederacy. In a war that has been the devastation of the main belt and cost the lives of nearly a third of a million people, Queen Selene and her husband Emperor Kaito have been seen as the voice of reason. Their position as the head of the Netherone family and the wealth it controls managed to pull Vesta out of the fighting early on, leaving it the least affected of all the factions.

Using their influence in the Vestal government to broker the peace deal between the warring factions, Queen Selene and Emperor Kaito have been declared as the realized successors to Grand Doge Vastion's legacy as the great peacemaker. Further talks on the administration of the outer colonies are forth coming...

**Emperor and Queen Abdicate** _August 2, 166 T.E. _

After nearly forty years of rule both the Emperor Kaito of the Eastern Commonwealth and his wife, the Queen Selene of Luna, have declared their intention to abdicate their thrones in favor of their elder children.

Princess An is scheduled to assume the throne as Empress of the Eastern Commonwealth at the end of the month. Her younger brother, Prince Rikan is scheduled to assume the throne of Luna as king two weeks later.

When asked why, their combined official statement said "Their children are now prepared to assume the responsibilities for which they have been groomed." When asked what they planned to do in their 'retirement' the official statement declared their intention to "take a long delayed tour of the Belt and Outer systems with their youngest son, Prince Vastion."

There has been some speculation about a secret project that the adventurous prince has been involved in around Jupiter during his five year absence from Earth. Such rumors have been stoked due to the prince's refusal to run for office as Doge despite being named as the heir to the Netherone family's estate and great public support. His claim that he favors potentially far more _exotic_ politics on the outskirts of civilization have many believing that he has made contact with aliens while exploring outer solar system. Experts however state that such talk was merely jests from the prince's quirky sense of humor...


End file.
